Appointments to the membership of the Statistical User Group

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

An accurate record of “Ministerial Decisions” is vital to effective governance, including:

demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision
providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

Ministers are individually accountable to the States Assembly, including for the actions of the departments and agencies which discharge their responsibilities.

The Freedom of Information Law (Jersey) Law 2011 is used as a guide when determining what information is be published. While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

A decision made (11.02.2009) to re-appoint the five current members of the Statistical User Group for a further three years and to seek applications for up to three new members.

Decision Reference: MD-C-2009-0018
Decision Summary Title :	DS 2009-02-06 membership of the Statistical User Group		Date of Decision Summary:	6 February 2009
Decision Summary Author:	Jean-Marc Blanchet, Research and Project Officer		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:
Written Report Title :	WR 2009-02-06 Statistics Users Group re-appointment of members		Date of Written Report:	February 2009
Written Report Author:	Julian Morris, Policy and Research Manager		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: Membership of the Statistical User Group
Decision(s): The Chief Minister agreed to: re-appoint the five current members of the Statistics Users Group for a further period of three years. place an advertisement in the Jersey Gazette and contact organisations in order to seek applications for up to three new members of the Group.
Reason(s) for Decision: The Statistics Users Group was established in October 2000 following a decision by the States to adopt a Report and Proposition of the Policy and Resources Committee entitled ‘Establishment of a Statistics Users Group’ (P.142/99). In addition to a Chairman, who is appointed by the States, and an ex-officio Secretary (the Head of the States of Jersey Statistics Unit), the Users Group comprises up to ten regular members. This Ministerial decision seeks to reappoint five existing members and seek candidates for up to three new members to enable the Statistics Users Group to continue in its important role in aiding the Head of Statistics by raising points relating to official statistics.
Resource Implications: The cost for placing an advertisement in the Jersey Gazette and officer time in facilitating the arrangements for the appointment of existing and new members to the User Group will be met from existing resources/budgets.
Action required: To request Policy and Research Manager to seek to post an advert in the Jersey Gazette to advertise the positions available in the Statistics User Group and to undertake and complete the recruitment process.
Signature:		Position: Senator Terry Le Sueur Chief Minister
Date Signed: 11 February 2009		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Appointments to the membership of the Statistical User Group

Chief Minister

Report

February 2009

Statistics Users Group: Re-appointment of members

1. Introduction

1.1 The Chief Minister is asked to give consideration to:

· the re-appointment of five current members of the Statistics Users Group for a further period of three years;

· seeking applications for up to three new members of the Group.

2. Background

2.1 The Statistics Users Group was established in October 2000 following a decision by the States to adopt a Report and Proposition of the Policy and Resources Committee entitled ‘Establishment of a Statistics Users Group’ (P.142/99).

2.2 In addition to a Chairman, who is appointed by the States, and an ex-officio Secretary (the Head of the States of Jersey Statistics Unit), the Users Group comprises up to ten regular members.

2.3 Following the resignation of John Boothman as Chairman in September 2004 the Group entered a period of abeyance until its re-establishment in December 2006 with Charles Clarke as Chairman.

2.4 In addition to the Chairman (Charles Clarke), there are currently seven members of the Group. The organisations which they represent and the dates of their first appointment to the Group are:

 Marie-Lousie Backhurst ↑ Société Jersiaise 1 February 2006

 Steve Duquemin * Family Nursing and Home Care 3 August 2004

 Mary Friswell ↑ Soroptimists 1 February 2006

 Peggy Gielen Jersey Finance Limited 14 December 2006

 Ray Shead Chamber of Commerce 1 June 2007

 Peter Surcouf * Concern 3 August 2004

 Rozanne Thomas * Jersey Consumer Council 3 August 2004

2.5 With regard to term of appointment, P.142/99 specified that:

Appointments to the Group, with the exception of the ex-officio Secretary (the Head of the Statistics Unit), should be for a fixed term of three years, renewable once at the discretion of the Policy and Resources Committee.

Under this specification, the current terms of five members of the Group have either come to an end (indicated * in paragraph 2.4) or are about to come to an end (indicated ↑).

2.6 Under the Ministerial system, decisions relating to the membership of the Group, previously made by the Policy and Resources Committee, now come under the auspices of a Ministerial Decision by the Chief Minister. Precedents in this regard have been set with the appointments of Peggy Gielen and Ray Shead.

2.7 All current members of the Group are active and informed participants not only at the quarterly meetings of the Group but also on a more frequent general basis, raising points relating to official statistics with the Head of Statistics.

2.8 New members to the Group have been previously sought by placing an advertisement in the Jersey Gazette (example attached as Annex A) and by writing directly to specific organisations (example attached as Annex B). The last occasion that such an application process was implemented was for the re-establishment of the Group following the resignation of the previous Chairman.

3. Recommendations:

3.1 It is recommended that the Chief Minister should re-appoint, for a second term of three years, the two members (Marie‑Louise Backhurst and Mary Friswell) whose first period of membership is about to come to an end.

3.2 In light of the fact that the Group underwent a period of abeyance, it is recommended that for those members who were first appointed in 2004 (Steve Duquemin, Peter Surcouf and Rozanne Thomas) that their membership be considered to be effective from the re-establishment of the Group in December 2006 and that they should be re-appointed by the Chief Minister for a further term of three years.

3.3 It is recommended that an advertisement be placed in the Jersey Gazette and that organisations be contacted inviting applications for new members of the Group.

Julian Morris

Policy and Research Manager

February 2009

ANNEX A

MEMBERS OF

THE STATISTICS USERS GROUP

Applications are invited from persons interested in serving as a member of the Statistics Users Group. The Users Group was established by the States of Jersey in 1999 as an independent body to review and comment upon official statistics in Jersey, including their compilation, dissemination and relevance, and to make recommendations to the Chief Minister where appropriate.

As with many jurisdictions, Jersey is currently facing a time of great change, and a strong statistical function is essential to many key aspects of decision-making. The Users Group meets on average four times a year and receives executive and administrative support from the States of Jersey Statistics Unit. The statistics considered by the Group include the Retail Prices Index, the Average Earnings Index annual estimates of the population and the next Census, to be held in 2011.

There are currently vacancies for up to three members on the Users Group and they will join an existing Group of eight members. These new members will be nominated by interested bodies, e.g. organisations representing the Island’s business community, the labour force, pensioners, consumers and the general public. All interested organisations are invited to nominate up to two members for the Users Group, from whom the Chief Minister will appoint a maximum of three nominees to become members for a period of three years. Individual members of the public who are interested in joining are also invited to apply. All positions on the Users Group are honorary.

Should you be interested in serving as a member of the Users Group, then further information is available from: Julian Morris, Business Manager, Chief Minister’s Department, Cyril Le Marquand House, The Parade, St. Helier JE4 8QT (tel. 440282; e-mail j.morris@gov.je).

Applications will be treated in strictest confidence, and should be submitted to Mr. Morris no later than * ******** 2009.

ANNEX B

Chief Minister’s Department

Cyril Le Marquand House

St Helier, Jersey, JE4 8QT

Tel: +44 (0)1534 440401

Fax: +44 (0)1534 440408

To:

** ******* 2009

Dear (surname),

Statistics Users Group

I am writing to ask whether your organisation would be interested in nominating up to two people to serve as members of the Statistics Users Group. The Group was established by the States in 1999 to review and comment upon official statistics in Jersey, and to make recommendations to the Chief Minister where appropriate.

An advertisement is being placed in the Jersey Gazette on **th and **th *********** for up to three members to serve on the Group, and they will join an existing group comprising seven members and a Chairman. The Group meets on average four times a year, and receives executive and administrative support from the States of Jersey Statistics Unit.

I enclose for your information a copy of the Gazette Notice which will be appearing in the Jersey Evening Post, and I will be pleased to provide you with further information if this would be of assistance. I may be contacted by telephone on 440282 or by e-mail on j.morris@gov.je.

Yours sincerely,

J. Morris,

Business Manager