Corporate Services - Approved Panel Minutes - 16 October 2013

Present

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

Apologies

Connetable D.W. Mezbourian

Absent

In attendance

Mr. S. Fair, CIPFA, Expert Advisor

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

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1.  Records of Meetings

The Panel approved the public records of meetings held on 25th September,  3rd  October  and  9th  October  2013.  The  Panel  also approved the private record of the meeting held on 25th September 2013. The records were signed accordingly.

03/10/13 Item 4

513/36

2.  Population and Migration/Long Term Plan

The Panel recalled that on 10th October 2013, at a Public Hearing with the Chief Minister, it had been advised that an Interim Population Policy would be bought to the States for debate in January 2014, if not before. It was further recalled that the Panel had requested that the Department allow sufficient time for scrutiny of the draft policy, before it  was  debated  by  the  States  Assembly.  This  request  had  been accepted.

The Panel noted that it was now the Department's intention to defer the detailed development of the Long-Term Plan Vision' to the new Council of Ministers taking office in 2014. It was further noted that the current Council's focus would be on the development of the planning and performance management infrastructure and processes required to support the development of the 2035 Vision'.

It was recalled that the Chief Minister had previously committed to undertaking a post-implementation review of the Control of Housing and Work (Jersey) Law in response to the Panel's S.R.2/2013 Report - Popualtion and Migration Review: Part 2. In this regard, the Panel was advised that the Department would endeavour to complete such a review within 12 months of implementation of the Law (by 1st July 2014). It was noted that as part of this review, and in response to the Panel's Report, the Department would re-examine the period at which a person became Entitled for Work; the 90 day exemption period for workers of non-resident undertakings; photographic identification on cards and refunds on cards. The Panel agreed that it would also be beneficial for the Department to examine the exemption that meant

that a person could work in Jersey for a period of 10 days or less in any period of 12 months without needing to obtain a registration card. The Officer was requested to examine the detail of this exemption and report back to the Panel.

The Panel recalled that it had previously requested an update from the Chief Minister's Department regarding the recommendations it had made as part of its Population and Migration – Part 1 Review in April 2012. The Panel noted that this information had now been received.

The Panel further recalled its agreement that the views of the Chief Statistician would be sought in respect of the recommendation made in  Population and Migration Part 2 (SR2/2013) that, three months before the debate on the Population Policy, the Chief Minister should request the Chief Statistician to provide his view on when the register would  be  statistically  viable  as  a  rolling  measure  of  the  Island's population.  The  Panel  noted  that  it  had  been  advised  by  the Department that the Chief Statistician would be unable to confirm the Register's  viability  before  June  2014  which  was  when  the  2013 Population Update would be available and when the December 2013 Manpower  Return  process  would  be  completed.  Nevertheless,  the Panel  agreed  that  it  would  be  beneficial  to  contact  the  Chief Statistician directly regarding this matter. Subsequently, the Officer was asked to enact this request.

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24/07/13 Item 7

513/1(41)

3.  Work Programme

The Panel noted the Status of its Work Programme for 2013 and 2014. The Panel was advised that, as matters stood, there appeared to be scope  for  work  to  be  undertaken  in  the  remainder  of  this  year. Subsequently, the Panel agreed that it would undertake a review of the Interim Population Policy, rather than setting up a Sub-Panel to carry out this work. However, the Panel also agreed that, once it had received a first draft of the Policy, due consideration should be given to the possibility of co-opting another Member onto the Panel for this review.

The Panel recalled that it had previously received a Draft Scoping Document in respect of a review of Phase 1 of the Modernisation Programme.  It  was  noted,  however,  that  initial  discussions  had indicated  that  the  Panel  might  wish  a  larger  scope  to  what  was anticipated when the review was first scoped. The Panel agreed that it would like to increase the scope of the review and, accordingly, it would be more suitable to undertake such work during the first half of 2014.

During its discussion, the Panel considered undertaking work on the Comprehensive Spending Review, which was agreed as part of the budget proposals in 2011, and the delivery of the Fiscal Strategy. After some deliberation however, the Panel agreed to examine some of these  matters  during  its  end-of-term'  report  on  the  Medium  Term Financial  Plan  (MTFP),  which  had  been  previously  agreed  by  the Panel. It was noted that, subsequent to this decision, it would be likely that the initial scope of the end-of-term' MTFP review would need to be extended.

The  Officer  was  requested  to  look  back  through  previous Departmental Business Plans and flag up any important Polices and

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legislation for the Panel's consideration.

03/10/13 Item 6

513/37(4)

4.  Public Finances Law Amendments

The Panel noted receipt of the Ministerial Response from the Minister for  Treasury  and  Resources  which  was  presented  to  the  States Assembly on 9th October 2013. The Panel agreed that, in the future, it would  be  extremely  beneficial  if  Ministerial  Responses  could  be presented to States Members prior to a related debate, to help inform that debate. The Panel also agreed that it would be helpful if the Responses  from  the  Minister  could  confirm  whether  they  were  in agreement or disagreement with the review findings.

The  Panel  further  agreed  to  make  provision  within  its  Work Programme to follow up on the Minister's response to its review of the Amendments.

The  Panel  asked  the  Officer  to  send  a  copy  of  the  Ministerial Response to its Expert Advisor from CIPFA and to request comments.

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09/10/13 Item 1

513/40

5.  2014 Budget

The Panel agreed that it would be helpful to receive the Fiscal Policy Panel's (FPP) views regarding the changes that had been proposed in Draft Budget Statement 2014 (P.122/2013) on the marginal tax rate. It was therefore agreed to request that the FPP consider the matter.

The Panel, with its expert advisor Mr. S. Fair of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), received an update on the  status  of  the  review. It  was  noted  that  requests  for  written submissions had been made to a number of stakeholders and that a Call for Evidence had been placed in the Jersey Evening Post. It was further noted that public hearings would be held with the Chamber of Commerce and Institute of Directors on 21st October 2013 and with Senator P.F.C. Ozouf , Minister for Treasury and Resources, on 24th October 2013. Consideration was given to whether a public hearing should be held with Jersey Finance Limited (JFL) and it was noted that a request had been made to JFL for a written submission.

The Panel considered a draft question plan for its public hearing with the Minister and, more generally, discussed potential lines of enquiry for its review. Particular consideration was given to how the Minister's taxation proposals fitted within long-term tax policy and it was agreed that it would be beneficial to seek the views of the Tax Policy Unit on the matter. During its discussions, the Panel recalled that a brief paper had been prepared by the Scrutiny Office on States of Jersey: Half-Year Corporate Report – June 2013 (R.111/2013). The Scrutiny Officer was requested to forward the paper for the attention of its expert advisor. Amendments to the draft question plan were also identified, which the Scrutiny Officer was requested to enact.

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6.  Future Meetings

The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would take place on 30th October 2013. Deputy Rondel provided his apologies as he would not be able to attend the next Panel meeting.