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Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel
Record of Meeting
Date: 5th February 2018
Present | Deputy J. M. Maçon, Chairman Deputy S. Y. Mézec , Vice-Chairman Deputy T. A. Vallois |
Apologies |
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Absent |
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In attendance | Mr B. White, Founder of the White Knight Foundation [Item 3] Mr A. Harris , Scrutiny Officer |
Ref Back | Agenda matter | Action |
| 1. Records of Meetings The Panel noted and approved minutes of the meetings held on 15th, 19th and 22nd January 2018. The Chairman signed them accordingly. |
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Item 1 05/06/17 | 2. Vice-Chairman The Panel agreed that it would appoint Deputy S.Y. Mézec to the position of Vice-Chairman of the Panel. |
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Item 2 22/01/18 | 3. Conflict of Interest No conflicts were declared by Panel Members. |
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| 4. Meeting with White Knight Foundation The Panel received Mr B. White of the White Knight Foundation to discuss the work that he had been undertaking in local schools through the charity. Mr White explained that he had been operating the charity for three years in order to help promote computer coding amongst children in Jersey schools. This included recycling computers from local businesses and upgrading them for use in the schools. During 2017, 1200 computers had been placed in local schools, with 420 at Highlands alone. Mr White explained his concern that coding was not part of the curriculum in Jersey and that teachers had not been given adequate training to be able to deliver it to children. It was noted that the Education Department was due to spend £1.5 million upgrading its computers. Mr White explained that this money would be better spent training staff as the computers he was able to supply were faster than the ones being identified by the Education Department. It was explained that his goal was to offer value for money with the best possible equipment. Mr White explained to the Panel that it was crucial the Island did not follow the example of the United Kingdom when developing its digital strategy. It was suggested that the States of Jersey should look at the strategies in place in Finland and South Korea, which he explained were the best in the world for developing digital and coding literacy amongst children and |
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| young people. It was also noted that the pace at which technology was developing would soon overtake the current level Jersey was able to teach at. The Panel thanked Mr. White for attending and agreed that it would ask questions on the subject at the next quarterly hearing with the Minister for Education. The Panel then tasked the Officer to send a letter of thanks to Mr. White. | AH |
Item 5 22/01/18 516/49 | 5. Tertiary Education: Student Finance Proposals The Panel noted that a proposition had yet to be lodged in respect of the student finance proposals to allow for debate on the 20th March as reported previously. The Officer updated the Panel that it was the intention of both departments to bring forward a proposition to enable the debate to take place at the States sitting on 10th April 2018. In light of this information it was agreed that the Panel would wait until the proposition had been lodged prior to holding public hearings with the Minister for Treasury and Resources and the Minister for Education. It therefore agreed that it would cancel the hearing booked for 14th February with the Minister for Education. The Panel subsequently agreed that it would look to organise a joint hearing with both Ministers during the week of 26th February 2018. Further to previous discussions, the Panel agreed that it would hold this during the evening and tasked the Officer to identify and approach suitable venues. The Officer advised that an engagement plan would be drawn up to maximise the public involvement in the hearing. The Panel agreed that it would request the following information in relation to the review:
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Item 6 22/01/18 516/51 | 6. Draft Criminal Procedure (Jersey) Law 201- The Panel received an update from Deputy S.Y. Mézec on the progress of the Sub-Panel's review. The Panel noted that the Sub-Panel was due to hold a public hearing with the Bailiff on Tuesday 6th February Further meetings were scheduled with the Law Society of Jersey and two Commissioners of the Royal Court as well as a public hearing with the Minister for Home Affairs and the Attorney General. | AH |
Item 7 22/01/18 516/50 | 7. Draft Sexual Offences (Jersey) Law 201- The Panel noted that letters had been sent to key stakeholders and experts in the field of the law requesting comment on the Draft Sexual Offences (Jersey) Law 201- ("the draft law"), the deadline for which was Tuesday 13th February. The Panel agreed that it would meet on Wednesday 14th February in order to undertake a line by line reading of | AH |
| the draft law. It was also agreed that the Panel would request an update on any changes that had been made to the article numbers since the briefing on the draft law. The Panel noted that a public hearing with the Minister for Home Affairs and H.M. Attorney General was scheduled for 5:15pm on Monday 19th February. The Panel noted communication between Deputy T.A. Vallois and a member of the public, Ms C. O'Connor, who had been gathering evidence in relation to the sexual grooming of children which she had subsequently passed on to the Police. It was noted that so far this had resulted in six convictions. The Panel agreed that it would arrange a public hearing on the 19th February in order to discuss her views on the draft law. Deputy T.A. Vallois agreed that she would pass on the relevant contact information to the Officer. | AH AH |
Item 8 22/01/18 516/46 | 8. Nursery Education Fund The Panel noted that no further information had been received as to whether a proposition would be lodged by the Minister for Education in relation to the Nursery Education Fund. The Panel recalled that an oral question was asked by the Chairman at the States meeting on 30th January 2018, however no further information had been gathered. The Panel agreed that it would request an update from the Education Department as to the status of the Nursery Education Fund and any associated proposition. | AH |
Item 10 22/01/18 511/2/3 | 9. Care of Children in Jersey Review Panel The Panel received an update on the progress of the Care of Children in Jersey Review Panel from Deputy S.Y. Mézec . It was noted that the in- committee debate on P.108/2017 Independent Jersey Care Inquiry report: implementation of recommendations', had taken place, with the Review Panel receiving positive remarks on the Comments Paper it had produced in advance of the debate. It was explained that the Review Panel would be considering the debate at its next meeting and agreeing any further actions as a result. It was noted that the Review Panel had been invited to attend a conference with the First Minister and Children's Minister in Scotland by the Community and Constitutional Affairs Department, which it was due to discuss further at its next meeting. |
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Item 13 22/01/18 | 10. Immigration (Jersey) (Amendment) Order 2017 The Panel noted that a briefing had yet to be arranged with the Community and Constitutional Affairs Department. Further to this the Panel agreed that due to its current work priorities it would not undertake the briefing at this time. The Officer advised that the Department would be informed. | AH |
Item 14 22/01/18 | 11. Quarterly Hearing dates 2018 The Panel noted that a quarterly hearing with the Minister for Home Affairs was to be arranged in due course. | AH |
Item 15 | 12. Amendment to the Jersey Immigration Rules |
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22/01/18 | The Panel noted that information had been requested in relation to the amendment to the Jersey Immigration Rules and would be circulated upon receipt. | AH |
| 13. Propositions lodged by Minister for Home Affairs The Panel noted that P.24/2018 Draft Export Control (Jersey) Law 2009 (Appointed Day) Act 201- and P.25/2018 Draft Community Provisions (Exports of Dual-use Items) (Revocation) (Jersey) Regulations 201- had been lodged by the Minister for Home Affairs for debate on 20th March 2018. |
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| 14. Future Meetings The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting was due to take place at 1:30pm on Monday 19th February in the Le Capelain Room, States Building. |
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