Corporate Services - Approved Panel Minutes - 25 January 2012

Present

Senator S.C. Ferguson, Chairman Deputy J.G. Reed, Vice-Chairman Connétable D.J. Murphy [Item 6 only] Deputy R.J. Rondel

Apologies

Deputy S. Power

Absent

In attendance

Mr W. Millow , Scrutiny Officer Miss S. McKee , Scrutiny Officer

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1. Records of Meetings

The record of the meeting held on 11th January 2012 was approved and signed.

11/01/12 Item 8

2. Executive Information

The Panel noted that the 2012 Business Plan for the Department of Treasury and Resources had been received and circulated and that it contained  both  an  organisational  chart  for  the  Department  and  an indication of the Department's work programme for 2012. The Panel also noted that an indicative work programme and organisational chart had been received from the Chief Minister's Department.

11/01/12 Item 8

3. Medium Term Financial Plan  

The Panel noted that information on the Medium Term Financial Plan had been received from the Department of Treasury and Resources and had been circulated.

11/01/12 Item 4

4. Comprehensive Spending Review

The Panel noted that a media release had been dispatched to report receipt  of  the  Ministerial  Response  to  Comprehensive  Spending Review: 2012 – 2013 and Delivery (SR14/2011). It further noted that research  was  being  undertaken  to  ascertain  the  timescale  for  the implementation of recommendations that had been accepted.  

11/02/12 Item 5

5. Topic Proposal

The Panel noted that the member of the public who had recently made two topic proposals had been advised that neither topic would form part of the Panel's initial work programme.

11/01/12 Item 6

6. Allocation to Contingency

The Panel noted that correspondence had been dispatched to Ms L. Rowley,  Treasurer  of  the  States,  regarding  the  Allocation  to Contingency Policy.

7. Quarterly Hearing with the Chief Minister

513/1(40)

The Panel considered areas of questioning for the Quarterly Public Hearing with Senator I.J. Gorst , Chief Minister, on 8th February 2012. The Panel recalled that, at its previous meeting with the Chief Minister on 20th January 2012, it had been informed that the development and delivery  of  the  new  Strategic  Plan  was  the  top  priority  in  the Department's work programme for this year. It was therefore agreed that this topic would be the first area of questioning at the upcoming Quarterly Public Hearing.

The Panel also identified Population and Migration, Social Policy, the co-ordination of policy, Human Resources and Information Services as potential areas of questioning for the Chief Minister. In relation to social policy, the Panel requested that a copy of the Social Policy Framework be circulated.

WM / SM

25/01/12 Item 9

510/1(3)

8. Visit to the House of Commons

The Panel received an update on the organisation of its visit to the House  of  Commons.  The  Panel  was  advised  that,  although  the possibility of extending the trip to two days had been investigated by the Scrutiny  Officers,  it  was  not  considered  feasible  or  worthwhile. Therefore, the Panel agreed that the visit be undertaken on the 14th March 2012 and would last one day only. The Scrutiny Officers were requested  to  confirm  the  Panel's  decision  with  Westminster  and undertake the required travel arrangements.

SM

11/01/12 Item 7

513/32

9. Population and Migration

The Panel deferred consideration of Population and Migration as viable review topics until its next Panel meeting that is to be held on 26th January 2012.

10. Meeting with the Minister for Treasury and Resources

The Panel adjourned at 10:50am in order to attend a meeting with Senator  P.F.C.   Ozouf ,  Minister  for  Treasury  and  Resources.  The meeting took place at Cyril Le Marquand House and was held in private session under Paragraph 3.2.1(a)(xiv) of the Code of Practice on Public Access to Official Information.