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Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel
Record of Meeting
Date: 6th November 2017
Present | Deputy L. M. C. Doublet , Chairman Deputy J. M. Maçon, Vice-Chairman Deputy T. A. Vallois Deputy S. Y. Mezec |
Apologies |
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Absent |
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In attendance | Mr C. Lever, Educationalist [item 3] Mr A. Harris , Scrutiny Officer Mr T. Leveridge, Scrutiny Officer |
Ref Back | Agenda matter | Action |
| 1. Records of Meetings The Panel noted and approved records of its meetings held on 5th and 9th October 2017. The Chairman signed them accordingly. |
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| 2. Conflict of Interest Deputy J.M. Maçon noted that his membership of the Chief Minister's Advisory Group on the Independent Care Inquiry could constitute a conflict in relation to any work the Panel undertook on the recommendations. |
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AE Article 25(1) | 3. Meeting with Educationalist The Panel received Mr C. Lever for a meeting in relation to issues within the Education Department. This meeting was held in private in accordance with the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 (as amended) under Absolute Exemption Article 25(1). |
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Item 3 09/10/17 516/45 | 4. Nursery Education Funding The Panel noted a briefing pack from the Officer which contained correspondence from the Jersey Early Years Association (J.E.Y.A), responses to States questions from the Minister for Education and a transcript from a hearing with J.E.Y.A held on 27th February 2017. The Panel recalled that an Early Years Report was due to be presented to the Education Department in October 2017, however it was noted this was now due to be presented in November 2017. The Panel requested that the Education Department provide its reason for the delay. It was also noted that once the Report was available, a briefing would be arranged with the Department and the author of the report. The Panel agreed to question the Minister for Education further on this issue at its next scheduled quarterly public hearing on the 4th December 2017. | AH AH |
516/49 | 5. Student Finance Options |
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| The Panel noted a draft Scoping Document and Terms of Reference for its review into the proposed student funding options, that were due to be presented by the Council of Ministers Sub-Committee for student finance near to the time of the Budget Debate. The Panel agreed changes to document and agreed that subsequent to these changes it could be circulated to the Chairmen's Committee for approval. The Panel recalled that it had appointed an expert advisor during its previous review into student finance and noted that the advisor had communicated to the Officer his willingness to undertake further work for the Panel. The Panel requested the Officer to confirm whether or not the advisor had been involved with discussions in relation to the proposed options. Had the advisor not been involved, then the Panel would look to appoint him to assist it with the review. The Panel requested that confirmation of the lodging date for the proposed options be confirmed as a matter of urgency. Deputy S.Y. Mézec noted that he would be bringing a proposition to the States Assembly in relation to Student Finance and would therefore recuse himself from Panel deliberations on the review. The Panel noted and approved a letter to the Comptroller and Auditor General requesting that a review be undertaken into the current arrangements for post-graduate funding. It was agreed that this would be sent as soon as possible. | AH AH AH AH |
Item 9 09/10/17 516/50 | 6. Draft Sexual Offences (Jersey) Law 201- The Panel noted a draft scoping document and Terms of Reference for its proposed review of the Draft Sexual Offences (Jersey) Law 201-. The Panel discussed the documents and agreed changes, subject to which they would be circulated to the Chairmen's Committee for approval. The Panel agreed to request the law drafting instructions for the proposed law and also the responses from the consultation that had closed on 13th October 2017. It was also requested that a briefing would be organised for the Panel's next meeting from the Officers with responsibility for bringing forward the draft law. The Panel discussed the timescale of the review and noted the legislation was due to be lodged in the first quarter of 2018. It was agreed that the Panel would consider this further at its next meeting It was noted that the Care of Children in Jersey Review Panel should be notified of the Panel's intention to review this draft law, due to its link to the recommendations within the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry. | AH AH AH |
Item 6 09/10/17 516/48 | 7. Tertiary Education: Departmental Funding The Panel noted that this review was likely to form part of the work the Panel had agreed to undertake in respect of the student finance options. It therefore agreed to add this to the Terms of Reference for the Student Finance Options review. | AH |
Item 7 09/10/17 | 8. Digital Skills |
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| The Panel noted a response from the Education Department in respect of the recommendations made in S.R.9/2014 Digital Skills'. Deputy J.M. Maçon noted as lead member that this would be taken forward with the Officer and it was agreed that discussion would be deferred to the next agenda. |
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Item 8 09/10/17 | 9. Independent Jersey Care Inquiry The Panel received an update from Deputy S.Y. Mézec and Deputy T.A. Vallois as to the progress made by the Care of Children in Jersey Review Panel. The Panel noted the Review Panel had begun a detailed analysis of P.108/2017 Independent Jersey Care Inquiry Report: implementation of recommendations', and intended to continue its work at the meeting on 8th November 2017. The Panel also noted that the Review Panel members had attended the Safeguarding Partnership Board Conference on 16th October 2017. |
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Item 10 09/10/17 | 10. Independent Review of Education The Panel noted a briefing paper from the Officer detailing the possible options that the Panel could undertake in respect of requesting the Minister for Education to carry out a review of the education system in Jersey. The Panel agreed that it would request the raw data from the 2011 consultation Learning for Tomorrow's World' from the Education Department, after which it would approach the Independent Statistics Unit to advise it on the data it had received. It was agreed that once this had been examined, the Panel would agree how it wished to take the matter forward. | AH |
Item 14 05/06/17 | 11. Immigration (Jersey) (Amendment) Order 2017 The Panel recalled that an amendment Proposition had been approved by the States Assembly, and a subsequent Order in Council duly extended to Jersey. It was noted that this law transferred functions from the Lieutenant Governor to the Minister for Home Affairs. The Panel requested that a briefing be organised with the relevant Officers and that the email detailing the changes be circulated again for information. The Panel also requested that the Brexit Review Panel be notified that the Panel would be following up on this action. | AH AH |
Item 10 11/09/17 | 12. Quarterly Hearing with the Minister for Education The Panel noted its hearing with the Minister for Education was due to take place on Monday 4th December 2017. The Panel recalled that it had requested the hearing be moved to the afternoon, however the Minister was unable to attend during the afternoon due to a prior engagement. The Panel therefore agreed that it would maintain the 10:00am hearing time and requested that the Officer send out a meeting request to confirm. The Panel agreed that it would send potential question areas to the Officer and would discuss this further at its next meeting. | AH AH |
Item 1 05/10/17 | 13. Quarterly Hearing with the Minister for Home Affairs |
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| The Panel recalled that the original hearing date of 15th December was no longer possible and therefore requested the Officer to arrange the hearing for the afternoon of 8th January 2018. The Panel agreed that it would send potential question areas to the Officer and would discuss this further at its next meeting. | AH AH |
| 14. Legislation The Panel noted that the Criminal Procedures Law was due to be lodged in November 2017, and agreed that it would look to arrange a briefing as soon as possible from the Community and Constitutional Affairs Department in relation to the draft law. | AH |
| 15. Future Meetings The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting was due to take place on Monday 4th December 2017 in the Le Capelain Room, States Building. The Panel agreed that it would meet on Monday 20th November and would meet every fortnight until the election. The Panel requested the Officer to send a meeting request to that end. | AH |