Environment - Approved Panel Minutes - 14 December 2011

Present

Deputy J. Young, Chairman

Connétable P. Rondel

Deputy S. Luce

Apologies

Absent

In attendance

Mr. M. Orbell, Scrutiny Officer

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1. Vice-chairman

The Panel agreed to appoint Deputy Luce as Vice-chairman.

MO

2. Working practices

1. Members noted the schedule of Panel meetings for 2012 previously circulated by email.
2. Expectations  for  the  conduct  of  meetings  and  communication between the Scrutiny Office and members were discussed. The Panel  fully  supported  the  professional  and  consistent  approach advocated by the Chairmen's Committee as the way forward.
3. It was  agreed  that  pending  a  response from  the  Privileges  and Procedures Committee and further consideration by the Chairmen's Committee, no filming of Panel hearings would be permitted.
4. Members noted provisional dates offered by departments in early January for briefing meetings with their respective Ministers. The Scrutiny Officer was asked to confirm the arrangements.

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3. Conflicts of interest

The Panel discussed areas where individual members might potentially be  conflicted  in  their  Scrutiny  rôles  owing  to  personal  or  business interests. It was noted that all such matters were declared to the Greffe. No significant difficulties were expected, but members would make it known in future if particular matters under consideration by the Panel might give rise to any concerns.

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4. Scrutiny training

Members considered proposals for Scrutiny Panels to visit the House of Commons and Portcullis House to view relevant Select Committees in action and meet Members and officers. It was noted that any such visits would need to be arranged soon, as bookings were already being taken for  March  2012.  The  Chairman  and  Vice-chairman  expressed  an interest and the Scrutiny Officer was asked to liaise with other officers to see if a joint visit could be arranged between Panels with shared membership.

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4.11.11 Item 2

5. Legacy report and work programme

Members considered the legacy report of the outgoing Panel in detail and discussed possible areas for follow-up and future work. The Panel also considered topics suggested by the public. The Scrutiny Officer was asked to prepare a provisional list of topics prioritised by the Panel to inform the briefing meetings with Ministers in January,

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11.07.11 Item 2

6. Ministerial response

The Panel noted the response presented to the States by the new Minister for Transport and Technical Services on 12th December 2011 to  the  previous  Panel's  Review  of  Speed  Limits:  Revised  Policy (S.R.4/2011). Members were advised that although media comment on the response made it appear as though the Scrutiny report had only recently been published, in fact the response was 7 months late.

The Panel agreed that there was no need for immediate action from the Panel  in  respect  of  the  response.  However,  it  was  noted  that  the Minister had accepted a recommendation that identified the failure of the working group of States Members appointed to review speed limit policy successfully, and called for better use to be made of Scrutiny for such purposes. It was felt that this could give rise to some concern in the light of the new Chief Minister's comments about making more use of working parties of States Members in future. The Panel believed that clarity was lacking as to how Scrutiny and ministerial working groups would  be  expected  to  operate  alongside  one  another,  and  it  was suggested that the Chairmen's Committee could be asked to look into this matter.

JY

7. Forthcoming meetings

1. Briefing with the Minister for Planning and Environment: Monday 9th January 2012 at 1.00pm, Howard Davis Farm
2. Panel meeting: Tuesday 10th January 2012, 2.00pm, Blampied Room, States Building
3. Briefing with the Minister for Transport and Technical Services: Thursday 12th January 2012 at 2.00pm, South Hill

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