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Education and Home Affairs - Approved Panel Minutes - 4 March 2013

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Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel

Record of Meeting

Date:   4th March 2013 Meeting No:  28

 

Present

Deputy J. M. Maçon, Chairman

Connétable M. P. S. Le Troquer, Vice Chairman Deputy M. Tadier

In attendance

M. Haden, Scrutiny Officer

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1. Minutes

The  Minutes  of  the  meetings  held  on  4th  February  2013  were approved and signed.

 

516/1(44)

2. Work programme 2013: Home Affairs issues

The Panel received notes of the informal briefing held with the Minister for Home Affairs on 22nd February 2013.

The Panel noted that the States of Jersey Policing Plan for 2013 included reference to plans to upgrade the police CCTV systems. This would  fit  in  with  the  Panel's  planned  review  of  surveillance rescheduled to commence later in March.

 

Item 10 04.02.13

516/34

3. Prison Service: treatment of mental health issues

The  Panel  received  the  Assistant  Minister  for  Health  and  Social Services together with the Director and Directorate Manager of Adult Services,  Clinical  Director,  Mental  Health  Services  and  Service Manager of Adult Mental Health for a public hearing connected with the evidence given by Advocate C. Fogarty on 14th January 2013. The Health and Social Services representatives considered that a number of statements made by Advocate Fogarty were misleading and inaccurate.

The Panel also met with the witnesses in private session to deal with matters relating to individuals named by Advocate Fogarty.

Prior  to  this  session  the  Panel  met  with  the  Data  Protection Commissioner to consider the rationale for her request to redact from the transcript of the public hearing the names of individuals referred to by Advocate Fogarty who had been in receipt of services from Adult Mental Health Services. The Commissioner acknowledged that the details of the cases had been recorded in court judgments but argued that,  unless  necessary  to  support  the  evidence  and  unless  the individuals  had  given  informed  consent  to  the  use  of  sensitive personal data, publication of names should be avoided in the long term interests of individuals whose rehabilitation might be damaged by such details continuing to be available online.

Following the hearings, the Panel considered how to evaluate the conflicting views they had received regarding the services provided to

 

 

defendants. Mindful of the complexities of the issues and that mental healthcare in prisons had been the subject of a number of recent reviews in the United Kingdom, members agreed that it would be helpful to seek expert, independent opinion to review and comment on all  the  evidence  received  by  the  Panel.  The  Scrutiny  Officer  was requested to make relevant enquiries.

MH

Item 9 04.02.13

516/37

4. Control of Public Entertainment

The Panel approved a scoping document and draft press release for a review of the Bailiff 's functions with regard to the licensing and control of public entertainment.

 

Item 6 22.06.12

516/33

5.  Customs  and  Immigration  Service:  resources  for  the prevention of importation of illegal drugs

The  Panel  considered  a  draft  report  on  its  investigation  into  the potential risks associated with ongoing staff shortages at the Customs and Immigration Service.

The Panel approved the draft for initial circulation to the agencies consulted in the short review.

MH

516/1(44)

6. Letter referring to a case handled by the States of Jersey Police and the Law Officers Department

The  Panel  considered  correspondence  dated  18th  February  2013 from St Helier resident relating to the failure of the States of Jersey Police and the Law Officers Department to protect himself and his family from aggressive behaviour from his neighbour.

The Panel noted that the matter had been taken up by a States member  and  had  been  the  subject  of  questions  in  the  States Assembly.

Members agreed that a complaint of this nature did not fall within its remit  (reference  Code  of  Practice  7.11). The  Police  complaints Commission had been established to investigate complaints against the police. Nor could the Panel review the outcome of a court case.

 

 

11. Next Panel Meeting - Monday 8th April 2013.