Corporate Services - Approved Panel Minutes - 4 September 2013

Present

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

Apologies

Absent

Deputy S. Power

In attendance

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

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1. Records of Meetings

The Panel approved the records of the meetings held on 15th, 24th, 25th, 26th and 31st July and 5th and 12th August 2013. The Panel also approved the private records of 15th and 25th July 2013. The records were signed accordingly.

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2. 2014 Budget

The Panel recalled that Senator P.F.C. Ozouf , Minister for Treasury and Resources, had undertaken to provide the Panel with analyses in respect of parental contributions and noted that no information had yet been received. It was agreed that the matter would be followed up.

The  Panel  noted  that  it  would  receive  a  private  briefing from  the Minister  on  the  Draft  2014  Budget  Statement  at  10:45am  on  9th September 2013.

Consideration was given to the appointment of an expert advisor. The Panel was informed of approaches which had been made to a number of organisations but from which no expressions of interest had been received. It was noted that expressions of interest had been received, however,  from  the  Chartered  Institute  of  Public  Finance  and Accountancy (CIPFA) and Professor M.J. Oliver, both of whom had worked with the Corporate Services (MTFP) Sub-Panel during the Scrutiny Review of the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) in 2012. It was noted that CVs for both Professor Oliver and Mr. S.W. Fair (who CIPFA had proposed would act on its behalf) had been circulated ahead of the Panel's meeting. It was ultimately agreed to appoint both CIPFA  and  Professor  Oliver  as  advisors  to  the  Panel,  with  their responsibilities to be split in the same manner as they had been split during the MTFP Review.

Consideration  was  given  to  whether  other  Scrutiny  Panels  would undertake  work  on  the  Draft  2014  Budget  Statement  (given  that elements of the Budget might be relevant to other Panels' remits) and, if so, how the Panel would co-ordinate with those other Panels. It was

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agreed that the Chairman would raise this matter at the next meeting of the Chairmen's Committee.

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3. Population and Migration

The Panel recalled its agreement to request an update in respect of the  recommendation  made  in  Population  and  Migration  Part  2 (SR2/2013) that the Chief Minister should ensure that a comparison was undertaken between the annual updates and the numbers of locally qualified licenses that were allocated and that these findings should be published in a report and presented to the States on an annual basis. The Panel also recalled its agreement to follow up another recommendation 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. It was noted that the Scrutiny Office was in the process of arranging an officer meeting with the Director of Corporate Policy and that these matters would therefore be pursued in due course. The Panel agreed that it would also seek the views of the Chief Statistician in respect of the latter recommendation.

The Panel recalled that an Interim Population Policy was due to be received  imminently.   It  was  noted  that  the  Scrutiny  Office  would discuss the matter with the Director of Corporate Policy in order to ensure clarity about the timescales involved in development of both that Policy and the Long-Term Plan. The Panel further noted that Scrutiny of the Long-Term Plan might also be a subject which would beneficially be discussed by the Chairmen's Committee in due course.

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4. Medium Term Financial Plan

The Panel was advised that a response was awaited in respect of its request for an update on the recommendation that the Minister for Treasury and Resources should examine and report to the States Assembly by July 2013 on the implications of extending the period of future MTFPs to five years in duration.

The Panel recalled that, at a previous meeting, it had noted that if Draft  Public  Finances  (Amendment  No.4)  (Jersey)  Law  201- (P.73/2013) were adopted, it would see the repeal of Article 7(5) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 and as a result it would no longer be possible for the States to amend the period to which the MTFP related.  Consequently,  the  MTFP  would  mirror  the  electoral  cycle exactly and would therefore not last five years unless the electoral cycle were changed to do so. The Panel was advised that, in fact, whilst  Article  7(5)  would  indeed  be  repealed  with  the  adoption  of P.73/2013, adoption of the Draft Amendment would see the insertion of a provision by which Parts 3 and 4 of the Law could be amended by Regulations and under which it would indeed be feasible for the States Assembly to amend the period to which the MTFP related.

The Panel was informed that a copy of the update on follow-up work to the MTFP Review had yet to be dispatched for the attention of the Public Accounts Committee.

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5. Deposit Loan Scheme

The Panel noted that the Starter Home Deposit Loan Scheme had been implemented and that it had received a copy of the guide to the

Scheme which was provided to prospective applicants. The Panel agreed to request an update on the Scheme's progress.

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6. Public Finances Law

The Panel noted that its report, Review of the Draft Amendments to the  Public  Finances  (Jersey)  Law  2005  (SR10/2013),  had  been presented to the States on 28th August 2013 and that Draft Public Finances (Amendment No.4) (Jersey) Law 201- (P.73/2013) would be debated at the sitting due to begin on 10th September 2013. The Panel prepared its approach to the debate on P.73/2013 and the related amendments, including the Panel's own.

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7. Minister for External Relations

The Panel noted that  Draft States of Jersey (Minister for External Relations) (Jersey) Regulations 201- (P.67/2013) would be debated at the sitting of the States Assembly due to begin on 10th September 2013. The Panel prepared its approach to the debate on P.67/2013.

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8. Modernisation Programme

The Panel considered a draft Scoping Document and draft Terms of Reference for a prospective review in relation to the Modernisation Programme. It was agreed that a key issue within the review would be the use of funds during Phase 1 of the Programme. It was also agreed that it would be important to consider how progress on Phase 1 would be monitored. It was noted that the Scrutiny Review, as scoped, would involve a public hearing with Senator A.J.H. Maclean, Minister  for  Economic  Development,  who  had  been  given  political responsibility for delivery of the Programme. Consideration was given to whether the Panel should also gather evidence from employee representatives. The Panel was advised that this might potentially increase the scope of the review and would therefore make it difficult for it to be completed before Christmas 2013. It was therefore noted that  further  work  would  be  undertaken  on  scoping  the  proposed review.

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9. Budget Report

The Panel noted a report on its expenditure as of 30th June 2013.

10. Future Meetings

The Panel agreed its meeting schedule for 2014, noting that Members would initially block out each day on which a meeting was scheduled to occur. It was noted that Quarterly Public Hearing dates for 2014 would be arranged in due course.

The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would take place at 9:30am on 18th September 2013.

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11. Fiscal Policy Panel

The Panel was advised that an invitation had been received for it to meet the Fiscal Policy Panel (FPP) during the lunchtime adjournment of  the  sitting  of  the  States  Assembly  due  to  take  place  on  25th September  2013.   The  Panel  agreed  to  accept  the  invitation  and requested that arrangements be made for Professor M.J. Oliver, one of its prospective advisors for the Scrutiny Review of the Draft 2014 Budget Statement, to accompany the Panel to the meeting. It was also agreed that it would be beneficial for there to be clarity as to the

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purpose of the meeting.

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12. Quarterly Public Hearing with the Chief Minister

The Panel noted that its next Quarterly Public Hearing with Senator I.J.   Gorst ,  Chief  Minister,  would  take  place  at  10:00am  on  19th September 2013. Consideration was given to a draft question plan for the hearing. Amendments and additions to the question plan were identified, which the Scrutiny Officers were requested to enact.

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