Corporate Services - Approved Panel Minutes - 26 June 2013

Present

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

Apologies

Connétable D.J. Murphy Deputy S. Power

Absent

In attendance

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

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

513/1(1)

1. Panel Membership

The Panel recalled that at its last meeting it was agreed that the Chairman would correspond with Deputy Power in order to determine more precisely how long his capacity to attend meetings might be effected. In this regard the Chairman advised Members that Deputy Power would be available again to attend meetings from the beginning of July 2013 onwards.

2. Records of Meetings

The Panel approved the records of the meetings held on 10th and 12th  June  2013  [Public  and  Private]. The  records  were  signed accordingly.

12/06/13 Item 3

513/37(4)

3. Public Finances Law

The  Panel  was  advised  that  Senator  P.F.C.   Ozouf ,  Minister  for Treasury and Resources, had agreed to defer the debate on Draft Public Finances (Amendment No.4) (Jersey) Law 201- (P.73/2013) until the first States sitting after the summer recess. It was recalled that the Panel had asked for a deferral due to requested information not  being  received  on  time  from  the  Department  and  there  was therefore a risk that the deadline date for the report would not be achieved.

The Panel recalled that both the Minister for Treasury and Resources, and Senator I.J. Gorst , Chief Minister, had provided responses to the written questions that had been submitted by the Panel. However, it was noted that the Chief Minister had subsequently withdrawn his response  with  the  assurance  that  alternative  comments  would  be provided to the Panel as soon as possible. The Panel was advised that this had yet to be received.

The Panel was advised that some of the information requested from the Department of Treasury and Resources for its review had not yet been received. As a result, the Scrutiny Officer was requested to draft a letter to the Minister listing the outstanding information in order to

SM

ascertain when the Panel could expect to receive each item.

It was further advised that the Panel was due to receive the first draft of the Expert Advisor's report by the end of the week. Any information received from the Departments after such time would be incorporated into a second draft.

12/06/13 Item 5

513/1(41)

4. Modernisation Programme

The Panel noted receipt of information provided by the Chief Minister's Department about the individuals leading on the various work-streams of  the  Modernisation  Programme.  The  Panel  agreed  that  further information  regarding  the  structure  of  responsibility  for  the  work- streams and, in particular, the reporting line to Departments would be beneficial. The Scrutiny Officers were therefore requested to look into the matter.

WM

12/06/13 Item 6

513/39(9)

5. Minister for External Relations

The Panel noted receipt of the Ministerial Response to Minister for External Relations (SR9/2013). It was further noted that the Ministerial Response would be formally presented to the States on 27th June 2013.

The Panel noted that, in response to its recommendation that the States Assembly should not be asked to approve proposals for a Minister  for  External  Relations  until  wider  issues  regarding  the Machinery  of  Government  had  been  addressed,  the  Council  of Ministers had agreed to re-schedule the debate on Draft States of Jersey  (Minister  for  External  Relations)  (Jersey)  Regulations  201- (P.67/2013) to 10th September 2013.

The Panel evaluated the process followed during the review. It was noted that work on the review had been affected by the fact that more work had been required on the Starter Home Deposit Loan Scheme review than had initially been planned. The Panel was advised that the review would have benefited if it had been possible to gather more evidence and to receive further witnesses at Public Hearings. It was agreed that, in future, the Panel would need to be mindful of allowing sufficient time for the consideration of evidence and for follow-up work to be undertaken. It was further noted that, when factoring Scrutiny into  their  timetable,  Ministers  should  consider  the  States  summer recess and the implications of this break on the proposed timeframe for reviews.

The Panel noted that expenditure on the review had amounted to £651.72.

08/05/13 Item 12

513/1(40)

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

The  Panel  noted  that  its  next  Quarterly  Public  Hearing  with  the Minister for Treasury and Resources had been moved to 9:30am on 15th  July  2013.   The  Panel  agreed  that,  going  forward,  it  would prioritise the topic areas it wished to cover during public hearings, thereby allowing more time to drill down on particular subject areas. During this discussion, the Panel also noted the possibility of sending written questions to Ministers on topic areas not covered during public hearings, when appropriate.

Consideration was given to the question plan and amendments were agreed,  which  the  Scrutiny  Officers  were  requested  to  enact  and circulate to the Panel before its next meeting. During the course of this consideration, the Panel noted that the Chief Minister had recently announced  an  action  plan  regarding  transparency  on  beneficial ownership of companies. The Panel requested that a copy of the action plan be circulated.

WM WM

12/06/13 Item 9

513/36

7. Population and Migration

The Panel received an update in respect of Population and Migration matters and considered its subsequent course of action. This part of the meeting was held in private session under Paragraph 3.2.1(a)(xiv) of the Code of Practice on Public Access to Official Information and a private record was therefore taken.

12/06/13 Item 7

513/38

8. Starter Home Deposit Loan Scheme

The Panel recalled its agreement to request an update from the Chief Minister's Department in respect of when the Starter Home Deposit Loan Scheme would be introduced and how potential applicants would be informed. The Panel was advised that the requested information had not yet been received. Subsequently, the Panel requested that the matter be followed up.

WM

12/06/13 Item 11

513/35

9. Medium Term Financial Plan

The Panel received an update on follow-up work to the MTFP review. The Panel noted that, following an agreement at its previous meeting, a request had been sent to the Minister for Treasury and Resources for progress reports in respect of Recommendations 8, 9 and 10. The Panel was advised that, as of yet, no response had been received. In relation to Recommendation 9, the Panel noted that the Minister had recently  presented  Pension  Increase  Debt:  Options  for  Early Repayment (R.63/2013) and that the report was pertinent to potential uses of the Strategic Reserve.

The Panel also noted that a copy of the most recent Quarterly Finance Report had been requested from the Department of Treasury and Resources but had not yet been received. It was recalled that the Minister had undertaken to provide the Panel with Quarterly Finance Reports during the MTFP review. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to inquire with the Department as to why reports had not been made available to the Panel.

In regards to its future work programme, the Panel agreed that it would undertake an end of term review in respect of the MTFP.

WM

12/06/13 Item 12

513/1(47)

10. 2014 Budget

The  Panel  noted  that  the  Briefing  on  the  2014  Budget  had  been moved to 11:30am on 15th July 2013.

The Panel received an update in respect of Draft Amendment (No.21) of the Standing Orders of the States of Jersey (P.65/2013). The Panel recalled its request for the Scrutiny Officer to consult the Greffier of the States regarding the potential implications of extending the lodging period for draft Budgets for future Budgets, in particular during years in which an election would take place. The Panel was advised that such

advice  had  been  sought  and  it  was  apparent  that  the  proposed amendment to Standing Orders would not in itself affect this position. It was noted, however, that the draft 2015 Budget could potentially be debated by the current States Assembly once the elections in 2014 had taken place but before newly-elected Members had taken their seat. Recalling that such a situation had arisen in respect of the draft 2012  Budget  and  that  concerns  had  been  expressed  during  the relevant debate, it was agreed to question the Minister for Treasury and Resources on the matter.

WM

12/06/13 Item 10

513/1(41)

11. Work Programme

The  Panel  received  and  noted  an  update  in  respect  of  its  Work Programme for 2013 and 2014. It was agreed by the Panel that it would be beneficial to ascertain when States work would cease ahead of the 2014 elections in order that its work programme for that year could be planned. In respect of its general work programme the Panel identified Human Resources and, in particular, the role and authority of the  States  Employment  Board  as  a  potential  review  topic  in  due course. It was also noted that a review in respect of Information Technology would be beneficial, whilst the Panel recalled its previous interest in undertaking a review of the Legislative Process.

The Panel agreed that requests would be made to the Chief Minister's Department  and  the  Department  of  Treasury  and  Resources  for updates on the delivery of their 2013 Business Plans. It was further agreed  that  the  Panel  would  request  advance  notice  of  both Departments' Work Programmes for 2014 in order to assist in the development of its own work programme.

WM/ SM

WM/ SM

WM/ SM

12. Future Meetings

The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would take place at 9:30am on 10th July 2013.

It was further noted that the next Quarterly Hearing with the Chief Minister would now not take place until after the summer recess.