Next week’s States Meeting
States Assembly
2 February 2024
On Tuesday 06 February, the next meeting of the States Assembly will commence at 9:30am. The meeting takes place in the States Chamber and is open for the public to attend, as well as being broadcast live via Public-I and on the States Assembly YouTube channel.Following the appointment of a new Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, it is necessary to appoint new Chairs for several Scrutiny panels and the Public Accounts Committee. The process for appointing the Chairs is similar to that last week for Ministers, except that all nominations will be made on the floor of the Assembly during the meeting, with no advance notice required. Every candidate is expected to make a speech for up to 10 minutes, and then answer a maximum of 20 minutes of questions. If there is more than one nomination, the other candidates must withdraw from the Chamber during the other nominees’ speech and question time.
A recorded vote will be held until one candidate receives an overall majority of the votes cast. The electronic voting system will be used in any instance where there are no more than two candidates; an open ballot will take place in instances where there are more than two candidates.
Appointments
Chair of the Public Accounts Committee. The PAC determines whether public funds have been used efficiently, effectively, and economically in order to deliver value for money for Islanders. Ministers and Assistant Ministers are not eligible for appointment to this position, although they are able to ask questions.
Chair of the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel. The CSSP reviews the policy and legislation arising from the work of the Chief Minister and the Minister for Treasury and Resources (excluding Financial Services). The Chief Minister and Minister for Treasury and Resources are prevented from nominating or voting for candidates, although they are able to ask questions.
Chair of the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel. The EHISP reviews matters relating to the policies and legislation put forward by Ministers in these three areas of government work. The Ministers for the Environment, Housing and Communities, and Infrastructure, are all therefore prevented from nominating or voting for candidates, but are able to ask questions.
Chair of the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel. The HSSSP reviews matters relating to the policies and legislation put forward by the Ministers for Health and Social Services and Social Security. The Ministers for these two departments are therefore prevented from nominating or voting for candidates but are able to ask questions.
Oral Questions
States Members will question Ministers for up to 2 hours and 20 minutes. These oral questions will have been issued to them in advance (i.e. ‘with notice’). Details of this week’s oral questions with notice can be found on page 4 of the Order Paper.
The following Ministers will then answer oral questions which they have not been given in advance of the meeting (i.e., ‘without notice’) for 15 minutes each:
- Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Tom Binet
- Minister for Housing and Communities, Deputy Sam Mézec
- Chief Minister, Deputy Lyndon Farnham
Public Business
The States Assembly will then begin debating the following topics:
| Topics: | More information: |
| Draft Crime (Public Order) (Jersey) Law | Minister for Justice and Home Affairs’ proposition |
| Requirement for a Secondar at Time of Lodging a Proposition | Deputy Malcolm Ferey’s proposition |
| Draft Wills and Succession amendment | The Chief Minister’s proposition |
| The Seaside Café at Greve De Lecq, acquisition by the pubic and transfer to the National Trust for Jersey. | Deputy Lyndon Farnham’s proposition |
A notification when each debate begins, a summary of the proposal and the results of each debate will be shared on the States Assembly X page (formerly Twitter) throughout the meeting. A summary of the meeting will be shared at the end of each day on the news section of the States Assembly website.
