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3.13 Deputy G.C.L. Baudains of the Chairman of the Privileges and Procedures Committee regarding the way in which the States Assembly would be constituted with 42 members:
Would the Chairman agree to provide in advance of any debate resulting from the referendum, greater detail and clarity, together with supporting research, as to how the States Assembly will be constituted with 42 Members?
The Connétable of St. Helier (Chairman, Privileges and Procedures Committee): Yes, we will.
Deputy G.C.L. Baudains:
I am grateful to the Chairman for his answer.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
When?
The Connétable of St. Helier :
That is a much more difficult question to answer. The committee at its last meeting, agreed to ask our officers to prepare the necessary legislation to enact the wishes of the public, as shown in the referendum; we are hopeful that will happen within the next few months, but it really is a matter of how much work there is to be done.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
When are we likely to see preparation indicating how the States Chamber will be structured with 42 Members? Will it be well in advance of any proposition being debated?
The Connétable of St. Helier :
Yes, as indeed in my short reply to the questioner, we will provide information in advance of any debate. We have already received correspondence from some members of the public about the outcome of the referendum, and we will be considering that at our next meeting.
- Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier:
Could the Chairman confirm that the Troy Rule will be an integral part of the package which his committee will be bringing forward?
The Connétable of St. Helier :
If the Troy Rule is maintained, an Assembly of 42 Members would be made up by a maximum of 18 Ministers and Assistant Ministers and 24 Members who were not. When deciding to take forward option B at our meeting last Thursday, Privileges and Procedures agreed that, until any decision is made to the contrary, the draft legislation should be prepared on the basis that the Troy Rule with these numbers will remain in place.
Deputy M. Tadier :
I do not need to ask the question.
- Senator P.F.C. Ozouf :
Would the Chairman agree that the report that the subgroup on ministerial government that has been made public this morning, R.39, is relevant to this whole issue, and would he congratulate his subcommittee on what seems to be an excellent report, welcoming and strengthening machinery of government in the context of the new Assembly?
The Connétable of St. Helier :
Yes. I am certainly happy to do that and I am very grateful to the Members, not only from P.P.C. and Deputy Tadier , who has chaired the subcommittee, but to Members across the States who have participated in extensive work on the subcommittee, and I commend their report, which is on Members' desks this morning.
- Deputy T.M. Pitman:
As I advised the Chairman, there is going to be a move to the Parish Assembly to put an official request from the people of St. Helier , to ensure they have democratic voting equality with their country cousins. Even taking that on board, can the Chairman assure us that some sort of liaison is going on with the Chief Minister with regard to all these various Ministers that he wants and how that can possibly work with the Troy Rule? Without that liaison, I do not see how we can come up with any sort of workable picture.
The Connétable of St. Helier :
It is a matter for the committee, and I am sure that we will take on the board the Deputy 's suggestions at our next meeting.
- Deputy J.H. Young of St. Brelade :
In view of the interest from members of the public, who included in their submission to the Electoral Commission issues to do with the machinery of government, and expressed concern over the number of Members and the impact on that, will the Chairman ensure that the subcommittee's report and the issues identified in that are given appropriate publicity so that when he comes forward with his solutions we can be sure that they are soundly based?
The Connétable of St. Helier :
I will certainly do that, but I would also respond by pointing out that the Electoral Commission received over 300 submissions, the vast majority of which asserted that there were too many States Members, and also remind the Deputy that both of the reform options in the referendum recommended a smaller Assembly. But we will, of course, take on board his concerns.
- Deputy C.F. Labey of Grouville :
Does the Chairman not agree that if the Troy Rule is not accepted or adhered to in the future, that the only democratic way of proceeding would be through party politics?
The Connétable of St. Helier :
As I said in one of my earlier answers, the committee believes that the Troy Rule, in the absence of any move to the contrary, will be in place as we move forward with the drafting of the implementation of the referendum decision.
The Bailiff :
Do you wish a final question, then, Deputy Baudains? Deputy G.C.L. Baudains:
I have no further question, Sir; it has been fully ventilated.