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Chairmen's Committee - Approved Committee Minutes - 21 April 2015

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Chairmen's Committee

Record of Meeting

Date: 21st April 2015

 

Present

Deputy J.A.N. Le Fondré, President and Chairman, Corporate Services

Scrutiny Panel

Connétable J.E. Le Maistre, Chairman, Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel Deputy R. Renouf , Chairman, Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel Deputy D. Johnson , Vice-Chairman, Environment, Housing and Technical Services Scrutiny Panel

Deputy A.D. Lewis , Chairman, Public Accounts Committee

Apologies

Connétable  A.S.   Crowcroft ,  Chairman,  Environment,  Housing  and

Technical Services Scrutiny Panel

Deputy  L.M.C.   Doublet ,  Vice-President  and  Chairman,  Education  and

Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel

Absent

 

In attendance

 Mrs. K. Tremellen-Frost, Scrutiny Manager

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1.  Records of meetings

The records of the meetings held on 17th March and 1st, 9th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 17th April 2015 were approved and accordingly signed.

 

 

2.  Activity Reports

The  Committee  noted  the  Panel  and  Public  Accounts  Committee activity reports.

 

465/4(14)

3.  Privileges and Procedures Committee: update

The Committee considered a briefing paper on the deliberations of the above Committee.

 

422/10/1 (92)

4.  States Assembly budgetary matters

The Committee welcomed the Greffier of the States in his capacity as Accounting  Officer  to  consider  potential  future  budget  cuts.  The Committee recalled that the Privileges and Procedures Committee had overarching responsibility for the States Assembly budget and it was noted that that Committee had agreed to consider where savings might be made in the next four years to mirror any savings targets set for ministerial departments by the Council of Ministers. The Committee considered the current breakdown of the States Assembly budget and noted that the Scrutiny function had, on a yearly basis since 2006, had a  very  large  underspend.  On  this  basis  the  Committee  gave  in principle approval for the budget allocated to Scrutiny to be reduced by £100,00 over a three year period.

The Greffier of the States withdrew from the meeting.

 

10.02.15 Item 10

510/1(5)

5.  Code  of  Practice  for  engagement,  for  the  purposes  of Scrutiny, between elected Members conducting Scrutiny and Ministers and Assistant Ministers: legal advice

The  Committee  welcomed  H.M.  Acting  Attorney  General  to  the meeting to consider the section of the existing Code of Practice for Scrutiny Panels and the Public Accounts Committee relating to legal advice.

Following some deliberation, the Acting Attorney General agreed to consider  two  specific  areas  of  the  existing  Code,  namely:  the restriction on Panels not to record that legal advice had been sought, (notwithstanding  the  fact  that  there  was  an  acceptance  by  the Committee that legal advice received should not be disclosed) and the possible inclusion of a phrase to state that briefings from the Law Officers Department could be requested.

The Acting Attorney General withdrew from the meeting.

 

512/25

6.  Financial Directions Review: Public Accounts Committee

The Committee received and noted a scoping document and terms of reference in relation to the above review.

 

 

7.  Financial Report- first quarter

The Committee noted the financial report of the first quarter 2015.