Social Security Tribunal: appointment of Deputy Chairs

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

to appoint, in accordance with Article 33A of the Social Security (Jersey) Law 1974, further to a process overseen by the Jersey Appointments Commission, the following as Deputy Chairs of the Social Security Tribunal for the period stated against their names –

Advocate Davida Blackmore  5 years Advocate Allana Binnie  5 years Mrs Hannah Westmacott  5 years

MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SECURITY

REPORT

1. Background

Article 8 of the Social Security (Determination of Claims and Questions) (Jersey) Order  1974 provides for the constitution of the Social Security Tribunal.

The Social Security Tribunal ("SST") has been in place since 1974 and hears appeals on a range of benefits under the Social Security (Jersey) Law 1974, as well aspects of other legislation administered by Employment, Social Security and Housing ("ESSH", such as the Income Support, Long-Term Care and Health Insurance Laws.

The Tribunal will review all facts placed before it by the Appellant and the Minister for Social Security and may confirm, reverse or vary the decision made by the ESSH Determining Officers.

The constitution of the Social Security Tribunal comprises a Chair (or a Deputy Chair) holding a qualification in law, and 2 lay members from a panel of up to 12 other members.

This report discusses the appointment of Deputy Chairs to the SST.

2. Tribunals

The Minister is responsible for the constitution of 3 different Tribunal panels, the Social Security Medical Appeal Tribunal ("SSMAT"), the Social Security Tribunal ("SST") and the Income Support Medical Appeal Tribunal ("ISMAT"). In consultation with the Judicial  Greffe,  who  is  responsible  for  the  convening  and  administration  of  the Tribunals, the role of Chair was developed across all 3 Tribunals to ensure consistency of process and decision-making, and to support the further development of a Tribunals Service.

3. Terms of appointment and re-appointment

The Social Security (Determination of Claims and Questions) (Jersey) Order 1974 provides  that  members  of  the  Tribunal  are  appointed  by  the  States  on  the recommendation  of  the Minister,  after consultation  with  the Jersey  Appointments Commission, and in line with the Appointments Commission's Code for Quangos and Tribunals.

A formal recruitment process, overseen by the Appointments Commission, has been undertaken by the Judicial Greffe. Further to this, subject to States approval, it is proposed to appoint the following as Deputy Chairs to the SST for a five-year period from the date of States debate:

Advocate Davida Blackmore Advocate Allana Binnie Mrs. Hannah Westmacott

Advocate Davida Blackmore

Advocate Blackmore qualified as a Jersey Advocate in 2010, having joined Bailhache Labesse (now Appleby) in 2005 after reading law at the University of Sheffield. At Appleby she had a broad commercial and civil litigation practice, including personal injury and clinical negligence, including having primary responsibility for the firm's civil Legal Aid work. She then moved to Callington Chambers, where she became a partner  in  2019.  Since  October  2019  she  has  run  her  own  practice,  focusing  on information  law,  employment  law,  mental  health,  personal  injury  and  clinical negligence.  In  employment  matters  she  regularly  represents  both  claimants  and respondents before the Jersey Employment Tribunal. She is ranked by Legal 500 as a leading partner for dispute resolution (white collar and regulatory) and is recommended for employment. She has extensive tribunal and judicial experience. She was a Legal Member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board from 2017 to 2021 (regularly chairing appeals). She was appointed Vice-Chair of Jersey's Mental Health Review Tribunal in 2021 and Chair in 2023, and became a Legal Member of the Guernsey Mental Health and Capacity Review Tribunal in 2026. In August 2026 she was sworn in as a Relief Magistrate. Since 2016 she has served on the Board of Examiners for the Jersey Advocates and Solicitors examinations, and she chairs the Law Society of Jersey's Sub-Committee for Wellbeing and Mental Health.

Advocate Allana Binnie

Advocate Binnie qualified as a Jersey Advocate in 2019 and is a Senior Associate at Mourant. Prior to practising in Jersey, she was called to the English Bar in 2011 before spending time working in Australia assisting with their historical child abuse inquiries. Allana specialises in criminal defence law and public child care law. She is a legal member  of  the  Criminal  Injuries  Compensation  Board,  a  lay  member  of  the Discrimination Tribunal and a Governor on the Board of the Institute of Law.

Mrs. Hannah Westmacott

Mrs.  Westmacott  is   Deputy  Chair  of  the  Jersey  Employment  and  Discrimination Tribunal and an accredited mediator. She qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2005 and practised commercial dispute resolution with Simmons & Simmons in London and Abu Dhabi, advising clients on matters such as employment disputes, breach of contract, professional negligence, fraud, intellectual property and regulatory issues, before holding senior project and advisory roles in the United Arab Emirates. Since 2019 she has chaired tribunal hearings, drafted published judgments, conducted mediations and provided training for tribunal members. She holds a law degree from the University of Exeter and an accredited certification in mediation from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

Financial and staffing implications

There are no additional financial or staffing implications for Government as a result of this proposition.

Children's Rights Impact Assessment

I consider that this proposition has no direct or indirect impact on children and that the duty to have due regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child does not arise. Accordingly, a Children's Rights Impact Assessment is not required under the Children (Convention Rights) (Jersey) Law 2022.