Corporate Services - Approved Panel Minutes - 10 April 2013

Present

Senator S.C. Ferguson, Chairman Deputy J.G. Reed, Vice-Chairman Deputy S. Power

Apologies

Connétable D.J. Murphy Deputy R.J. Rondel

Absent

In attendance

Mr. W. Millow , Scrutiny Officer

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

02/04/13 Item 1

513/37(2)

1. Deposit Loan Scheme

The Panel, recalling that it had presented Starter Home Deposit Loan Scheme (SR5/2013) to the States on 4th April 2013, considered its subsequent course of action in respect of Starter Home Deposit Loan Scheme (P.131/2012).

The Panel noted that the Chairman and Deputy R.J. Rondel had met Senator  P.F.C.   Ozouf ,  Minister  for  Treasury  and  Resources,  and Deputy A.K.F. Green MBE, Minister for Housing, on 4th April 2013 to discuss  the  Panel's  recommendations.   The  Scrutiny  Officer  was requested to circulate the file note of the meeting. The Panel was advised  that  it  was  anticipated  that  the  Ministerial  Response  to SR5/2013 would be received later that week with the information the Panel  had  requested  in  its  recommendations.   It  was  noted  that P.131/2012 was due to be debated on 16th April 2013.

The Panel agreed that, as it had yet to receive information from the Executive  and  the  debate  on  P.131/2012  was  imminent,  it  would propose during the debate that the proposition be referred back under Standing Order 83. The provisions of the Standing Order were noted, in particular that the Panel would need to provide a clear indication of the matters on which it required further information. It was agreed that the Vice-Chairman would make the proposition under Standing Order 83 and that he would circulate a draft of the speech he would make  to  the  remainder  of  the  Panel  ahead  of  the  debate. Consideration  was  subsequently  given  to  the  Panel's recommendations in SR5/2013 and to the report it had received from the Chartered Institute of Housing in order to identify the matters to which the Vice-Chairman would refer when proposing the reference back. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to construct and circulate a timeline in respect of the finalisation and presentation of the Panel's report.

Consideration  was  given  to  whether  other  courses  of  action  were available  to  the  Panel.   It  was  agreed  that  a  proposition  under Standing Order 83 would be the best course of action. Consideration

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was also given to whether the Panel would advise the Minister for Treasury and Resources of the Panel's intentions. It was agreed that the Panel would not so advise the Minister.

27/02/13 Item 7

513/1(40)

2. Pensions

The Panel recalled that, during a briefing on 27th February 2013 on work  being  undertaken  in  respect  of  pensions,  the  Department  of Treasury and Resources had undertaken to provide the Panel with further  documentation. The  Panel  was  advised  that  the documentation had been received.

27/03/13 Item 3

513/1(40)

3. States of Jersey Development Company

The Panel recalled that the Managing Director of the States of Jersey Development Company (SoJDC) had undertaken to provide the Panel with documentation subsequent to the briefing it had received on 27th February 2013. The Panel was advised that the documentation had yet to be received and that the Scrutiny Office had been in further correspondence  with  the  Department  of  Treasury  and  Resources about the matter.

The Panel, recalling the advice it had received during the briefing on the SoJDC, agreed that it would include questions on the matter at its Quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister for Treasury and Resources on 18th April 2013.

27/03/13 Item 6

513/35

4. Medium Term Financial Plan

The  Panel  recalled  that  implementation  of  three  of  the recommendations made in Review of the Medium Term Financial Plan (SR18/2013)  and  which  had  been  accepted  by  the  Minister  for Treasury and Resources was due to occur in either March or April 2013. It was noted that questions on that matter would therefore be put at its Quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister for Treasury and Resources on 18th April 2013.

5. Records of Meetings

The Panel approved the private records of its meetings held on 25th and 27th February 2013 and the public records of its meetings held on 14th, 19th, 20th and 27th March and 2nd April 2013. The records were signed accordingly.

27/03/13 Item 4

513/37(3)

6. Minister for External Relations

The Panel received an update on the course of its review of proposals to establish a Minister for External Relations. The Panel was advised that a number of written submissions had been received, copies of which were distributed. It was noted that written submissions had not been received from Senator A.J.H. Maclean, Minister for Economic Development,  the   Bailiff  and  the  Privileges  and  Procedures Committee. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to ascertain whether written submissions would be received from these parties. The Panel was further advised that HM Attorney General had written to advise that he would like to make a submission but that it would not be received  until  the  week  beginning  15th  April  2013.   The  Scrutiny Officer  was  requested  to  advise  HM  Attorney  General  that  this timescale would be acceptable.

The Panel noted that a public hearing with Senator I.J. Gorst , Chief

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Minister, would be held at 2:30pm on 15th April 2013. Consideration was given to a draft question plan and the Panel agreed the areas it would cover at the public hearing, which it requested the Scrutiny Officer to incorporate within the Plan. During its consideration, the Panel  was  advised  that  sections  of  Second  Interim  Report  of the Constitution Review Group (R.64/2008) were of relevance to its review and  the  Scrutiny  Officer  was  therefore  requested  to  circulate  the relevant sections.

Consideration was given to the timetable for the Panel's review. It was noted that presentation of the Panel's report was due to occur in early May 2013.

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27/03/13 Item 7

513/1(43)

7. Public Finances Law

The Panel recalled its agreement to undertake a review of proposed amendments to the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005. The Panel noted that, contrary to previous indications, a briefing on the proposed amendments would not take place on 18th April 2013 and that it would therefore be arranged for a later date.

The Panel agreed it would be beneficial to seek expert advice during its review and the Scrutiny Officer was requested to investigate the matter. It was agreed to seek guidance from the Comptroller and Auditor General on where the Panel might find potential advisors. In that regard, the Panel noted that it would be beneficial in a general sense to meet the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Scrutiny Officer was therefore requested to make the necessary arrangements.

The Panel was informed that Deputy T.A. Vallois, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, had expressed an interest in taking part in the Panel's review. It was therefore agreed to co-opt the Deputy to the Panel for the duration of the review under Standing Order 138(5A).

The Panel recalled that a request had been made to the Department of Treasury and Resources for a copy of the Law with changes tracked to indicate how the Law would change if the proposed amendments were adopted. It was noted that a copy of the Law, as amended, had not  yet  been  received  and  that  such  a  document  had  yet  to  be prepared. The  Panel also  noted that  it  would  pursue  this matter further when its review began in earnest.

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27/03/13 Item 5

513/36

8. Population and Migration

The Panel recalled that the Council of Ministers had, on 27th March 2013, discussed the development of the Population Policy. The Panel noted that it had received the supporting papers for this discussion and was advised that the Population Policy was due to be progressed more quickly than the Panel had previously been advised. The Panel was further advised that the Scrutiny Office had informed the Chief Minister's Department of the Panel's agreement that it would seek to review the Policy once it had been developed and completed by the Executive. The Panel noted that it could potentially undertake the review in stages, albeit that such an approach would require careful management.

The Panel was advised by the Chairman of the Corporate Services (Population and Migration) Sub-Panel that the Sub-Panel intended to meet  quarterly  in  order  to  follow  up  the  recommendations  of

Population and Migration Part 2 (SR2/2013) and that it would report back to the Panel. It was noted that changes to the Sub-Panel's constitution would potentially be requested of the Panel.

27/03/13 Item 9

513/1(40)

9. Quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister for Treasury and Resources

The Panel noted that the Quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister for Treasury and Resources on 18th April 2013 would start at 10:30am. Consideration was given to a draft question plan and the Panel agreed the areas it would seek to cover with the Minister, which the Scrutiny Officer  was  requested  to  incorporate  within  the  plan. The  Panel recalled that the Minister had previously provided the Panel with a list of his priorities, which the Scrutiny Officer was requested to circulate.

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14/03/13 Item 6

513/1(41)

10. Work Programme

The Panel noted the status of its Work Programme for 2013. The Panel was advised that, as matters stood, there appeared to be scope for work on additional topics to be undertaken between May 2013 and the  summer  recess  beyond  the  reviews  which  had  already  been agreed. The Panel noted that it could potentially undertake follow-up work in respect of its previous reviews, and it therefore agreed that it would seek to follow up the review of the Medium Term Financial Plan. The Panel also noted that, in addition, it could potentially undertake work on topics which it would expect to review in more depth at a later date. In  that  latter  regard,  the  Panel  noted  that  it  would  likely undertake work in respect of the Modernisation Programme and it was therefore agreed that a briefing on the Programme would be requested from the Executive.

The Panel noted that a review in respect of proposals for a new general hospital was likely although it was currently unclear into which Panel's remit such a review would fall, given that it fell within both the Panel's remit and that of the Health, Social Security and Housing (HSSH) Scrutiny Panel. It was agreed to correspond with the HSSH Panel about its intentions in respect of the proposals.

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11. Future Meetings

The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would take place on 24th April 2013.