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Corporate Services - Approved Panel Minutes - 9 January 2013

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Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel

Record of Meeting

Date:   9th January 2013 Meeting No:  64

 

Present

Senator S.C. Ferguson, Chairman Deputy J.G. Reed, Vice-Chairman Connétable D.J. Murphy

Deputy R.J. Rondel

Apologies

Deputy S. Power

Absent

 

In attendance

Deputy  J.A.N.  Le  Fondré,  Machinery  of  Government  Review  Sub- Committee [Item 1]

Deputy  G.C.L.  Baudains,  Machinery  of  Government  Review  Sub- Committee [Item 1]

Deputy J.H. Young, Machinery of Government Review Sub-Committee [Item 1]

Mr. I. Clarkson, Clerk to the Privileges and Procedures Committee [Item 1]

Mrs K. Tremellen-Frost, Scrutiny Manager [Item 1]

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

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

465/1(182)

1. Machinery of Government Review

The Panel received Deputies J.A.N. Le Fondré, G.C.L. Baudains and J.H. Young of the Machinery of Government Review Sub-Committee in order to discuss the Sub-Committee's interim report.

 

 

2. Records of Meetings

The Panel approved the record of the meeting held on 19th December 2012 with a correction to one typographical error. The record was signed accordingly.

 

19/12/12 Item 3

513/35

3. Medium Term Financial Plan

The Panel was advised that the Ministerial Response to Review of the Medium  Term  Financial  Plan  (SR18/2012),  which  Senator  P.F.C. Ozouf had presented to the States on 5th December 2012, followed the agreed template and it was confirmed that no further work was therefore required from the Minister or his Department in order to ensure that the template had been followed.

 

19/12/12 Item 5

513/1(41)

4. Modernisation Programme

The  Panel  recalled  that  the  Chairman  had  agreed  to  circulate information in respect of Lean Academies. It was noted that the Chairman  would  circulate  the  material  ahead  of  the  next  Panel meeting.

SF

19/12/12 Item 5

513/1(41)

5. Housing Strategy

The Panel recalled its agreement to request an update on the work of the Health, Social Security and Housing (HSSH) Sub-Panel that was undertaking a review of the Housing Transformation Programme. The Panel was advised that housing strategy was not currently within the Panel's remit as the Strategic Housing Unit, which would develop the strategy,  had  yet  to  be  established  and  transferred  to  the  Chief Minister's Department. It was noted that questions on this matter could feasibly be incorporated within a Quarterly Public Hearing in due course.

 

19/12/12 Item 6

513/1(46)

6. GST De Minimis

The Panel was advised that a request had been put to the Department of Treasury and Resources for an update on whether the Minister had recently  considered,  or  would  consider,  changes  to  the  GST  de minimis level. It was noted that a response from the Department was anticipated imminently. The Panel further noted that work on this matter could feasibly be incorporated in its eventual review of the 2014 Budget Statement. It was agreed to discuss this topic with the Minister at the meeting to be held on 31st January 2013.

WM / SM

16/06/12 Item 5

513/1(41)

7. Gigabit Jersey

The Panel was advised that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) would potentially undertake a review in respect of Gigabit Jersey.

 

19/12/12 Item 2

513/36

8. Population and Migration

The  Panel  received  an  update  from  the  Vice-Chairman  of  the Population and Migration Sub-Panel. It was noted that the Sub-Panel had met on 8th January 2013 and that work had commenced on drafting the Sub-Panel's report. It was also noted that the Sub-Panel would meet again on 17th January 2013 and that it remained on course for its report to be presented to the States by the end of February 2013.

Consideration was given to Part 3 of the Population and Migration Review which it was envisaged would be undertaken in respect of the Population Policy. The Panel recalled that the Council of Ministers had undertaken to bring forward the Policy for eventual debate by the States in July 2013. The Panel was advised that this timescale was no longer being followed and that the Council would seek to lodge the Policy in July 2013 for debate later in the year; it was not apparent, however, what date would be sought for the debate. It was noted that this  would  have  an  impact  on  when  the  Panel  could  feasibly commence Part 3 of the review.

 

19/12/12 Item 5

513/1(41)

9. External Relations

Consideration was given to a potential review in respect of External Relations and it was agreed that the Panel would undertake a review of draft Regulations which, if approved, would establish the position of Minister  for  External  Relations.   The  Panel  noted  receipt  of correspondence from Senator I.J. Gorst , Chief Minister, in which the Panel was invited to review the draft Regulations. It was agreed that the Panel should undertake the review once the draft Regulations had been lodged but that sufficient time should be allowed for the review to

 

 

take place. The Scrutiny Officers were requested to correspond with the Chief Minister's Department accordingly. Consideration was given to  a  draft  Scoping  Document  and  draft  Terms  of  Reference;  the Scrutiny Officers were requested to update and amend the documents accordingly for subsequent Panel consideration and approval.

The Panel agreed that, as part of the review, it would seek a formal submission from the Privileges and Procedures Committee.

WM / SM

WM / SM

WM / SM

19/12/12 Item 5

513/1(41)

10. Work Programme

The Panel considered its Work Programme for 2013. It was agreed that a review would be undertaken of  Starter Home Deposit Loan Scheme  (P.131/2012)  and  that  the  Executive  would  be  advised accordingly in order that the debate could be deferred from its current listing of 15th January 2013. The Scrutiny Officers were requested to draft a Scoping Document for the review.

In respect of its general Work Programme, the Panel confirmed that Human Resources, Information Technology, Information Management and amendments to the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 remained areas  of  interest.   It  was  recalled that  the  Scrutiny  Office  was  in correspondence  with  Executive  Departments  with  a  view  to establishing  a  standardised  document  through  which  Departments could in future update Panels on the Executive's work programme. The Panel was advised that the Scrutiny Office had asked to receive documents from the Chief Minister's Department and Department of Treasury and Resources ahead of the Panel's next meeting.

The Panel recalled undertakings made by the Minister for Treasury and Resources during the review of the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) that quarterly corporate budget reports provided to the Council of Ministers could be shared with Scrutiny Panels. It was agreed that the reports could potentially be used when preparing for Quarterly Public Hearings.

WM / SF

19/12/12 Item 5

513/1(40)

11. States of Jersey Development Company

The Panel noted that arrangements had yet to be made for it to receive a briefing in respect of the States of Jersey Development Company.

WM / SM

19/12/12 Item 5

513/1(41)

12. JT Preference Shares

The Panel, recalling its agreement to suggest that the PAC consider reviewing matters in respect of the redemption of preference shares held by the States in JT, was advised that the matter had been passed on to the PAC for its consideration.

 

1240/25(7)

13. Annual Report

The Panel considered a draft report in respect of its activity in 2012 for eventual inclusion in the 2012 Annual Report of the States Assembly. The Panel agreed to insert a reference to where the recommendations arising from Part 1 of the Population and Migration Review could be found and requested that the membership of Sub-Panels established by the Panel during the year be reported (if such information were not to  be  included  elsewhere).   The  Panel  approved  the  draft  report, subject to those amendments being incorporated.

WM / SM

 

14. Future Meetings

The Panel noted that it would next meet on 23rd January 2013. It was further noted that the Panel would meet the Chief Minister that day in order  to  discuss  respective  work  programmes.   The  apologies  of Deputy R.J. Rondel for the meeting with the Chief Minister were noted.