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Chairmen's Committee - Approved Committee Minutes - 8 December 2015

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Chairmen's Committee

Record of Meeting

Date: 8th December 2015

 

Present

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

Deputy L.M.C. Doublet , Vice-President and Chairman, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel

Deputy S.M. Brée, Chairman, Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel

Deputy R. Renouf , Chairman, Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel Deputy A.D. Lewis , Chairman, Public Accounts Committee

Deputy D. Johnson , Vice-Chairman, Environment, Housing and Technical Services Scrutiny Panel

Apologies

Connétable A.S. Crowcroft , Chairman, Environment, Housing and Technical Services Scrutiny Panel

Absent

 

In attendance

Dr M. Egan, Greffier of the States designate

Mr T. Oldham , Scrutiny Manager

Mr S. Spottiswoode, Scrutiny Officer (Items 1-4)

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1.  Records of meetings

The Committee approved the records of its meetings held on 6th and 11th  November  2015,  which  were  signed  accordingly  by  the President.  

 

11.11.15 Item 2

2.  Activity Reports

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

 

11.11.15 Item 3

3.  Privileges and Procedures Committee: update

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

 

11.11.15 Item 4

510/1(5)

4.  Code  of  Practice  for  engagement,  for  the  purposes  of Scrutiny, between elected Members conducting Scrutiny and Ministers and Assistant Ministers

The Committee noted the Protocol between the Scott ish Parliament and the Scott ish Government in relation to the handling of Committee business', and received an updated draft of its own Code of Practice for  engagement,  for  the  purposes  of  Scrutiny,  between  elected Members conducting Scrutiny and Ministers and Assistant Ministers'. It recalled that in addition to this Code, it was responsible for the development  of  three  further  related  Codes  of  Practice.  The Committee  considered  whether  having  four  separate  Codes  of Practice  relating  to  the  Scrutiny  function/PAC  was  confusing,  and agreed to clarify the situation by adopting the following terminology to provide  a  clearer  distinction  between  the  engagement'  and  the proceedings' documents:

 Protocol  for  Engagement  Between  Scrutiny  Panels  and  the

 

 

Executive

Protocol for Engagement Between the PAC and the Executive

Scrutiny Proceedings: Code of Practice

PAC Proceedings: Code of Practice

The Committee received further advice in consideration of the draft action points agreed at its previous meeting, in relation primarily to the powers of Scrutiny Panels and compliance with the draft Scrutiny Protocol. The following points of principle to steer future drafting of the Protocol and associated actions were agreed:

  • The  power  of  Panels  to  summons  individuals  and  papers should remain as presently established
  • The Protocol should govern not only the actions of Members of Scrutiny,  but  also  those  of  Executive  Members  on  matters relevant to engagement with Scrutiny
  • Regulation 8 of the States of Jersey (Powers, Privileges and Immunities)(Scrutiny Panels, PAC and PPC) Regulations 2006 should be extended to provide immunity from prosecution, on the basis of evidence provided to a Panel, beyond just the witness to include any other person'. This would be in keeping with the situation for UK Select Committees
  • The  States  of  Jersey  (Powers,  Privileges  and Immunities)(Scrutiny Panels, PAC and PPC) Regulations 2006 should be revised to enable Scrutiny Panels to place witnesses on oath
  • A  procedural  framework   for   the  event  of  an  alleged infringements  of  the  Protocol,  by  Scrutiny  or  Executive Members,  should  be  established  in  the  wording  of  the compliance section of the Protocol

TO

11.11.15 Item 5

510/3(9)

5.  Use of social media

The  Committee  noted  that  the  States  Greffe  had  begun  work  to establish a States Assembly' Facebook page during the first quarter of 2016. This would include content from Scrutiny Panels.

TO

511/1(63)

6.  Domestic Property Transactions Review Panel

The  Committee  agreed  that  scoping  should  be  undertaken  of  a proposed  Review  Panel  regarding  domestic  property  transactions. This would be led by the proposer of the Review, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. The Committee noted that matters of resources, membership and Chairmanship would also require further consideration, and might be informed by the scoping process.

AL

 

7.  Future Meetings

It was noted that the Committee's next meeting date was 26th January 2016, 9.30am-11.30am, Le Capelain Room, States Building.