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Corporate Services - Approved Panel Minutes - 27 March 2013

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Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel

Record of Meeting

Date:   27th March 2013 Meeting No:  79

 

Present

Senator S.C. Ferguson, Chairman Connétable D.J. Murphy

Deputy R.J. Rondel

Apologies

Deputy J.G. Reed, Vice-Chairman Deputy S. Power

Absent

 

In attendance

Mr. D. Warr , President – Chamber of Commerce [Item 1] Mr. W. Millow , Scrutiny Officer

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

14/03/13 Item 4

513/1(46)

1. GST De Minimis

The  Panel  received  Mr.  D.   Warr ,  President  of  the  Chamber  of Commerce, in order to discuss Mr. Warr 's proposal that the Panel undertake a Scrutiny Review in respect of the de minimis waiver for the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Subsequent to the Panel's discussions with Mr. Warr , it was agreed to include  questions  on  the  de  minimis  waiver  at  the  next  Quarterly Public Hearing with Senator P.F.C. Ozouf , Minister for Treasury and Resources.

WM

 

2. Records of Meetings

The Panel approved the records of its meetings held on 15th, 18th, 25th and 27th February and 4th and 14th March 2013. The records were signed accordingly.

 

27/02/13 Item 10

513/1(40)

3. States of Jersey Development Company

The Panel recalled that the Managing Director of the States of Jersey Development  Company  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 was in correspondence with the Department of Treasury and Resources about the matter.

 

19/03/13 Item 1

513/37(3)

4. Minister for External Relations

The Panel noted that the call for evidence had appeared in the Jersey Evening Post on 25th March 2013 and would appear again on 2nd April 2013. The Panel was advised that no written submissions had yet been received, either in response to the call for evidence or to the Panel's requests to identified stakeholders. The Panel was informed that the Scrutiny Office had been approached by Channel 103 as to whether the Panel would like to procure radio advertising. The Panel agreed not to pursue that course of action.

 

 

The Panel was informed that research was being undertaken on the corresponding  situation  in  other  jurisdictions  and  that  the  Scrutiny Office  had  made  a  request  to  the  Chief  Minister's  Department  in respect of the matter.

The Panel noted that a public hearing with Senator I.J. Gorst , Chief Minister, and Senator Sir P.M. Bailhache , Assistant Chief Minister with responsibility for external relations, would be held at 2:30pm on 15th April 2013. It was noted that there would potentially be a clash with a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

 

04/03/13 Item 1

513/36

5. Population and Migration

The Panel noted that the Council of Ministers was due to discuss the timetable for development of the Population Policy at its meeting on 27th March 2013. The Panel was advised that the Scrutiny Office had corresponded  with  the  Chief  Minister's  Department  regarding  the timing of the Panel's review of the Policy. The Panel, considering the draft timetable which it had previously received, agreed that it would seek to review the Policy once it had been developed and completed by the Executive. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to advise the Department accordingly.

WM

23/01/13 Item 8

513/35

6. Medium Term Financial Plan

The Panel noted 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 agreed to request an update on implementation of the recommendations and to include questions on the matter at the next Quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister.

WM

14/03/13 Item 5

513/1(43)

7. Public Finances Law

The Panel noted receipt of correspondence, dated 20th March 2013, from  the  PAC  in  respect  of  proposed  amendments  to  the  Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005. The Panel, taking into account the PAC's  comments  on  the  matter  and recalling the  invitation  of the Minister  for  Treasury  and  Resources  to  consider  the  proposed amendments, agreed that it would undertake a Scrutiny Review of the subject. The Panel recalled that the Minister intended to lodge the proposed amendments in May 2013 for subsequent debate by the States Assembly in July 2013. It was therefore noted that the Panel's review would effectively begin in May 2013.

The Panel was advised of an offer by the Department of Treasury and Resources to brief the Panel on the proposed amendments. It was agreed that the briefing would take place on 18th April 2013, after that day's Quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister.

The  Panel  was  informed  that  a  request  had  been  made  to  the Department 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.

WM

WM

19/11/12 Item 3

8. Quarterly Public Hearing with the Chief Minister

The Panel considered a draft question plan for its Quarterly Public

 

513/1(40)

Hearing  with  the  Chief  Minister  at  1:00pm  on  9th  April  2013. Additional questions were identified, which the Scrutiny Officer was requested to add to the plan.

WM

19/09/12 Item 6

513/1(40)

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

The Panel noted that a Quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister for Treasury and Resources would take place at 10:00am on 18th April 2013. The Panel identified questions it would seek to ask the Minister and the Scrutiny Officer was requested to draft a question plan.

The  Panel  was  informed  that  the  Department  of  Treasury  and Resources had requested to brief the Panel on a number of topics following the Quarterly Public Hearing. The Panel considered the list of topics suggested and identified those on which it would wish to be briefed. The Scrutiny Officer was requested to inform the Department accordingly.  

WM

WM

 

10. Future Meetings

The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would take place on 10th April 2013.

 

20/03/13 Item 1

513/37(2)

11. Deposit Loan Scheme

The  Panel  recalled  that  the  draft  report  had  been  distributed  to stakeholders for comment on the factual accuracy and the reporting of evidence  received. The  Panel  was  advised  that  a  number  of stakeholders, including the Chief Minister's Department, had provided their comments and that a small number of minor amendments to the main body of the draft report would be required as a result.

The Panel considered its draft Key Findings and Recommendations and identified amendments which the Scrutiny Officer was requested to enact. The Panel was advised that, given the impact of Easter, the timetable  for  the  review  now  indicated  that  the  report  would  be presented on 4th April 2013. The Panel agreed that it would be beneficial to meet the Minister for Treasury and Resources on that day and  the  Scrutiny  Officer  was  therefore  requested  to  make  the necessary arrangements.

WM