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Economic Affairs - Approved Panel Minutes - 26 April 2017

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Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel

Record of Meeting

26th April 2017

 

Present

Deputy S.M. Brée, Chairman Deputy D. Johnson , Vice-Chairman Connétable J.E. Le Maistre Connétable M.J. Paddock

Apologies

 

Absent

 

In attendance

Mr M. Orbell, Scrutiny Officer

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1. Records of meetings

The Minutes of the meetings held on 22nd March and 21st April 2017 were approved and signed.

MO

 

2. Meeting requests

The Panel considered a number of requests for meetings and agreed possible dates. The Scrutiny Officer was asked to make arrangements accordingly.

MO

 

3.  Annual Report

Members approved the text of a Panel entry for the 2016 Annual Report.

MO

Item 1 03.03.17

515/35

4. Licensing Law

Members agreed that the Panel should aim to resume its review of the draft Licensing Law as soon as work was completed on Jersey Sport, whether or not the draft law was lodged before the summer recess. It was felt that the law had been delayed for so long in preparation that it was better to complete the review and present a report to the States than wait any longer.

MO

Item 2 22.03.17

5. Approval of Assistant Ministers' Appointments

The  Panel  considered  proposals  recently  presented  by  the  Chief Minister's Department to the Chairmen's Committee which would enable Assistant Ministers to serve on Scrutiny Panels, but would also bring changes to the Troy Rule'. The discussion centred on the need for Scrutiny to be completely independent and to produce objective and impartial reports on ministerial policies. It was felt that any attachment or commitment  to  the  Executive  amongst  members  would  inevitably undermine that ability. Members heard that a similar situation in the Isle of Man had led to serious problems.

Panel members were fundamentally opposed to changes that would compromise the independence of Scrutiny. The Scrutiny Officer was

 

 

 

asked to re-circulate the paper presented to Chairmen's Committee so that members could revisit the details and share their views, which would then be collated and included in a Panel response to be sent to the Chairmen's Committee.

MO

Item 3 22.03.17

515/39

6. Jersey Sport - Establishment

The  Panel  continued  its  consideration  of  evidence  provided  by  the department. It was felt that the Trust documents and draft Partnership Agreement raised serious concerns about the balance of relationships between the Trust, company and department. The Panel agreed that a letter should be sent to the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture requesting an urgent meeting on 8th May 2017 to discuss these concerns. It was noted that Comments on the Proposition would need to be ready for presentation by Thursday 18th May to ensure that States Members had adequate opportunity to read them before the debate on 23rd May.

MO