Chairmen's Committee - Approved Committee Minutes - 22 May 2012

Present

Deputy T.A. Vallois, President Deputy S.G. Luce , Vice-President Senator S.C. Ferguson

Deputy J.M. Maçon

Deputy J.H. Young

Deputy J. A. Hilton

Apologies

Deputy K.L. Moore

Absent

In attendance

Mr T. Oldham , Scrutiny Officer

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1. Minutes of previous meetings

The minutes of the meetings of 24th and 30th April and 2nd and 4th May, having been approved, were accordingly signed. The Part B minutes of 24th April, having also been approved, were signed.

2. Panel Activity Reports These were noted.

24.04.12 Item 3

510/1(68)

3. Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP)

The  Committee  considered  its  previously  agreed  process  of Scrutiny of the MTFP, and confirmed that it intended to maintain this approach. The Committee was informed by the Chairman of the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel that Terms of Reference being drafted by her Panel to guide the work being undertaken by all  Panels  on  the  MTFP  would  be  ready  for distribution  to  the Committee shortly.

The Committee also considered the most appropriate method for Scrutiny Members to receive a briefing from the Treasurer on the overarching structure of the MTFP. It was noted that the Treasurer had previously offered to meet each Scrutiny Panel to brief them on the overarching structure and, in order to make the briefing more beneficial to the Panels, be accompanied by the relevant Chief Officer and Finance Director both of whom had been instrumental in putting together the MTFP for the respective Departments. Dates had been provisionally arranged by some Panels to receive this briefing.

It  was  agreed,  however,  that  it  would  be  more  efficient  and consistent for all parties to request the Treasurer to provide an overarching  structure  briefing  to  all  available  Scrutiny  Members following the anticipated close of States business on Wednesday 30th May. In addition, Panels would individually continue to seek briefings from the relevant Minister and/or Officers relating to the

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specific MTFP work of the Department(s) within their remit.

22.11.11 Item 2

511/1(49)

4.  Nomination  of  a  representative  of  the  Chairmen's Committee on the Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC)

The Committee recalled that, due to a very large volume of work, and in order to be able to dedicate more time to this, the Chairman of the Health, Social Security and Housing Scrutiny Panel had decided to relinquish the role of Committee representative on the Privileges and Procedures Committee. The Committee agreed to the Chairman of the Environment Scrutiny Panel being nominated to the States, by the Chairman of PPC, as its representative.

15.05.12 Item 1

513/34

5. Tourism Development Fund: Assistance to the Private Sector Review - Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel

The Committee considered the referral by the States on 2nd May 2012 of P.26/2012 Tourism Development Fund: Assistance to the Private Sector to the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel, which had now established a Sub-Panel to undertake the review.

It  was  agreed  that  the  debate  had  highlighted  the  need  for Chairmen to seek to ensure effective communication on issues relevant to the remit of more than one Panel, in particular where any background work had been undertaken or relevant decisions made. The Committee also agreed that individual Chairmen would speak to the Panel Officers regarding the process of highlighting notable forthcoming propositions and recent Ministerial Decisions.

Following the discussions on the referral debate, the Committee requested that the matter of Scrutiny Member voting on Scrutiny related propositions should be added to the Agenda for the meeting of all Scrutiny Members scheduled for 13th June.

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24.04.12 Item 11

510/1(42)

6. Webcasting

The  Committee  received  a  member  of  the  public  who  had requested to attend on the Committee to put forward his point of view as the creator of a local blog site.

The  Committee  noted  that  it  awaited  a  response  from  the Department of Electronics in respect of audio streaming. It agreed that  all  papers  received  on  the  issue  should  be  collated  for consideration at its next meeting.  

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24.04.12 Item 13

510/1(3)

7. Training: questioning skills

The  Committee  noted  arrangements  for  questioning  training provided  by  beSpokeSkills  on  28th  May  for  those  Scrutiny Members who had been unavailable for the previous course and who wished to undertake the training. It also noted the possibility confirmed by H.M. Attorney General that the Law Officers could assist in training for Scrutiny Members. It was agreed that H.M. Attorney General should be contacted and requested to outline the nature of the training his Department could provide.

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8. Future meetings

The Committee noted that the date of its next meeting was 19th June  2012.  There  was  also  an  all  Scrutiny  Members  meeting