In keeping with the maxim of Government only doing what it alone can do – or do most cost-effectively, then there are some existing functions that could logically be removed or undertaken ‘beyond’ Government:
- Scrutiny – proposed to be part of a new OBR+
- SACC – also proposed to sit externally under OBR+ and incorporate the existing Commissioner
- Sport and Culture – Third Sector/Commission(s)
- Environment – Third Sector/Commissions
- Overseas Aid and all other grants – Third Sector/Commissions
The next consideration is to create ‘Super-Committees’ by combining some parts or all of existing mandates under more logical relationships. To do this we can return to the new composition of the proposed (10 strong) P&R and work backwards (recognising that these roles are primarily Policy Development). So the new P&R would look like this:
- Chief Minister
- Treasury Minister
- External Affairs Minister (augmented to be responsible for Third Party relationships)
- Home Affairs Minister (Existing Home Affairs Committee mandate)
- Healthcare and Social Services Minister (Combining Healthcare (HSC) and Social Services due to the common denominator of defining Universal Entitlement to services)
- Economy and Employment Minister (No longer limited to ED, and more closely involved with Employment)
- Education and Skills Minister (removing Sport & Culture but adding direct responsibility for Skills)
- Infrastructure and Utilities Minister (Removing Environment from E&I and adding Utilities from STSB)
- Housing & Planning Minister (new Committee altogether absorbing DPA)
- Transport Minister (Absorbing relevant STSB business units)
It will be apparent that two existing Committee functions would no longer exist: ESS (being subsumed into Healthcare and Economy) and STSB (being subsumed into Infrastructure and Transport). In addition, the DPA (which is actually an Authority) would be subsumed into Housing. In support of these Super Committees, the Operations Group of Deputies would breakdown as follows:
| P&R Minister for | IWV Deputies | Parish Deputies | Lay members | TOTAL |
| Chief (1) | 1 | |||
| Treasury (1) | 1 | |||
| External Affairs (1) | 1 | |||
| Home Affairs (1) | 2 | 2 | 5 | |
| Healthcare & Social Services (1) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| Economy & Employment (1) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Education & Skills (1) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Infrastructure & Utilities (1) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Housing & Planning (1) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Transport (1) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| TOTALS (10) | 10 | 10 | 10 |
It can be seen from the above table that there are 10 Policy Group Deputies; 10 IWV Operations Group Deputies and 10 Operations Group ‘parish’ Deputies.
The distinction to remember here is that Operations Group Committee business is principally oversight in nature. When Policy work is involved, then the Minister can augment the Committee as necessary. Otherwise, the Minister(s) (who must be IWV Deputies) are prioritising Policy development and participating in the ‘normal’ business of P&R on a weekly basis.
