04 August 2006
The Chief Minister’s Department and the newly formed Dairy Review Sub-Panel (Chaired by Deputy Alan Breckon) have agreed to undertake a review of the dairy industry.
The Island’s dairy industry faces critical challenges as it moves forward with its plans to deliver a more secure future. These include the creation of a new and more efficient dairy (possibly on a new site) and the requirement to operate in compliance with the Competition law. Government wishes to be fully informed when considering these issues and has therefore decided to undertake a review process that will be completed within three months. Scrutiny has also identified this as a topic of interest and so it has been agreed that a joint approach is desirable.
This is the first example of close co-operation between Scrutiny and the Executive in reviewing a matter of public interest, and it is anticipated that this will form improved links between the two functions of government. Deputy Breckon’s comments were;
“When it became known that the Chief Minister’s Department and Scrutiny were both looking at aspects of the Dairy Industry it was agreed by those involved that there was no point in having wasteful effort and duplication of time and cost.
I believe that there is considerable benefit in working together for the period of this review. This will be the first actual cooperative scrutiny in review of policy development, and I welcome this initiative and understanding of the Chief Minister to enable this to happen.”
The Sub-Panel has agreed joint terms of reference, (click here to access the Terms of Reference) with the Chief Minister’s Department who will appoint a suitably experienced firm of consultants.
The Chief Minister, Senator Frank Walker said;
“I warmly welcome this important joint initiative. The future of the Island ’s dairy industry is of fundamental importance to producers; it is also important to consumers and to the very nature of Jersey . By working together with Deputy Breckon and his Sub-Panel on this review we will ensure we get the best result for all concerned in the shortest possible time-scale.”
The consultants will consider the current production, processing, distribution and marketing arrangements undertaken by the Dairy Industry and the Jersey Milk Marketing Board, and the advantages and disadvantages of alternative industry structures. The sub-Panel has accordingly made a contribution to the consultancy fees.
The Sub-Panel is also carrying out related work independent of the Chief Minister’s Department, concerning the provision of school and welfare milk and the application of the Rural Economy Strategy. The Sub-Panel has also reserved its right to make an independent analysis of the findings of the consultants.
Both the Chief Minister’s Department and the Sub-Panel recognise the cultural and historic as well as the economic value of the industry to Jersey, and hope that this review will provide a fuller understanding of the needs of producers as well as consumers.
The members of the Dairy Review sub- Panel are–
Deputy Alan Breckon (Chairman)
Deputy Anne Pryke (Vice-Chairman)
Deputy Sarah Fergusson
Deputy Roy Le Hérissier
Deputy Kevin Lewis
gov.je