Legacy Report - Economic Affairs - 19 April 2018

Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel Legacy Report for session 2014 to 2018

Presented to the States on 19th April 2018

S.R.9/2018

Introduction

1. The Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel has reviewed the work it has undertaken since its establishment by the States in 2014 and agreed to provide a report to its successor Panel established by the States in its next session to assist in developing its own work programme.
2. The report sets out:

• The Panel's remit;
• The Panel's membership from 2014-2018;
• the work undertaken by the Panel during the session 2014 - 2018
• methods of working used by the Panel
• suggestions for issues that a successor Panel may wish to consider in developing its work programme

3. The Panel officially met 121 times between November 2014 and April 2018 (including electronic meetings). Details of minutes can be found on the Panel's web pages.

Remit

Standing Order 135 (1)(a)Scrutiny panels: establishment and constitution

(1) There shall be –

(b)  a scrutiny panel which is assigned the topics of economic affairs and economic development ("economic affairs");

In 2015, the States Assembly approved P.46/2015 which proposed the transfer of functions set out in the Draft States of Jersey (Transfer of Functions No.8) (Miscellaneous Transfers) (Jersey) Regulations 201-. The draft Regulations suggested for the Minister for Economic Development to become the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture. As a result of this transfer, from December 2015 the Panel's remit included tourism, sport and culture as well as economic development.

Membership:

• Deputy S.M Bree, Chairman
• Deputy D. Johnson , Vice-Chairman
• Connétable M.J. Paddock
• Connétable J. E. Le Maistre (Chairman of the Panel from December 2014 - June 2015)

Work undertaken

The Panel conducted the following reviews in the period 2014 to 2018:

The Panel has fulfilled the four main roles of scrutiny (Code of Practice 7.9) by undertaking work on:

1. Policy:
2. Legislation:
3. Annual Business Plan and Budget:
4. Matters of public interest:

Methods of working

Briefings – The Panel has regularly invited/received officials from the Executive to give informal briefings on a particular subject for background information at the start of a review, updates to completed reviews or significant developments/progress reports on areas of potential review within its remit.

Quarterly Public Hearings with Ministers - The Panel invited the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture on a regular basis to discuss topical issues arising in the department.

Suggestions for future work

This section identifies possible areas for future work by a successor Panel including forthcoming legislation. In addition to a general suggestion that consideration be given to the recommendations made by the Panel in the reports listed above, the Panel would highlight the following:

• Rural Economy Strategy: The Rural Economy Strategy 2017-2021 was adopted by the Department of Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture and the Department of the Environment in 2017. Although the Panel received a number of briefings on this matter, due to other work commitments, it was unable to undertake a review of the Strategy before it was lodged as a report in the States Assembly. The Panel would recommend for its successor to undertake a review of the Strategy to determine how its new policies have worked and whether its aims have been achieved since its introduction in 2017.
• Licencing Law: The Panel undertook a review of the Draft Liquor Licencing Law (P.103/2017). However, before it had finalised its draft report and amendment, the Assistant Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture withdrew the Proposition. The Panel would therefore recommend its successors to follow-up on the work which had been undertaken with regard to this matter and to keep abreast of any further developments.  
• Jersey Aircraft Registry (JAR): JAR was launched in 2015 and, although it was expected that the registry would generate a sufficient income, it has not attracted the amount of interest that was anticipated. In February 2018, the Minister for Economic Development advised the States Assembly, during questions without notice, that new plans to transform Jersey's struggling Aircraft Registry would be announced soon. The Panel would therefore suggest that the successor Panel reviews any work that comes forward from the Department in respect of this subject.  
• Financial Services Legislation: There is a substantial amount of legislation that is due to be lodged and debated next term in respect of financial services. Rather than identifying a specific Law, the Panel would recommend that the next Panel keeps abreast, over its term of office, of all pieces of draft legislation that are lodged by the Department on this matter.  
• CICRA (Channel Islands Competition and Regulatory Authorities):  On account of various statements from the Chief Minister in 2018 as to the future operation of CICRA, the Panel would recommend that the next Panel request an early meeting with the Chief Minister to determine any proposals he may have in respect of changes to legislation.  

Further Suggestions

In addition to the above, the Panel would also highlight the following:

• The Panel would recommend the use of expert advisors for reviews, when appropriate.  
• The Panel found the provision of questioning training to be of benefit and would recommend that its successor take advantage of such training (including follow- up training).
• The Panel would recommend its successors to follow up on recommendations that have been made in previous reports and to keep abreast of any matters that arise in respect of the topics that have been referred to above.