States Meeting summary: 1-2 April
2 April 2025
Tuesday 1 April
Question Time
Questions with notice
The Meeting began with Ministers answering States Members’ questions with notice.
Skip to page 5 of the Order Paper to find out which questions were asked and watch from 8 minutes into this morning’s recording to hear questions with notice in full.
Questions without notice
States Members then asked the Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Tom Binet; Minister for International Development, Deputy Carolyn Labey; and the Chief Minister, Deputy Lyndon Farnham, questions without notice for 15 minutes each.
Skip to 2 hours and 22 minutes into this morning’s recording to watch questions without notice in full.
Public Business
P.10/2025 Draft Westaway Trust (Transfer of Assets) (Jersey) Law 202-.
The Minister for Treasury and Resources, Deputy Elaine Millar, proposed a new Law that would allow the remaining assets currently administered under the Westaway Trust to be transferred into Le Don De Faye Trust which has similar aims. The Law is needed as the Westaway assets are too small to be practicably administered as a separate trust.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition.
Go to the start of this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
P.15 Draft Control of Housing and Work (Residential and Employment Status) (Jersey) Regulations 202-
The Chief Minister, Deputy Lyndon Farnham, proposed new regulations to provide more responsive migration controls. The Draft Control of Housing and Work (Residential and Employment Status) Regulation are to support the 2022 amendment made to the Control of Housing and Work (Jersey) Law 2012.
The Proposition was presented to the States Assembly by Deputy Carina Alves.
The Chief Minister lodged an amendment to the Proposition to reduce the 30-year threshold to achieve Permanent Entitled status to 25 years.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition, as amended, with 42 votes for, 0 votes against and 0 abstentions.
Skip to 13 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
P.16 Increase Stamp Duty for properties that are not principal residences to 5%
Deputy Max Andrews proposed that Stamp Duty, Land Transaction Tax and Enveloped Property Transaction Tax is increased to 5% for properties that are not the purchaser’s principal residence. The Deputy requested that the Minister for Treasury and Resources bring forward the legislation by 1 January 2026.
The States Assembly voted to REJECT the Deputy’s proposition with 3 votes for, 41 votes against and 1 abstention.
Skip to 1 hour and 29 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
P.17 Draft Elections (Appointed Day) (Jersey) Act 202-
The Privileges and Procedures Committee proposed that the date for the next Jersey Election will be Sunday 7 June 2026. All Deputies and Connétables would be elected on this date under the Proposition.
P.17 Draft Elections (Appointed Day) (Jersey) Act 202-: amendment
Deputy Kristina Moore lodged an amendment proposing an alternative Election date of Sunday 26 April 2026.
The States Assembly voted to REJECT the Deputy’s amendment with 6 votes for, 39 votes against and 0 abstentions.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Privileges and Procedures Committee’s proposition with 42 votes for, 1 vote against and 2 abstentions.
Skip to 2 hours and 31 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
Wednesday 2 April
Public Business
P.18 Jersey Overseas Aid Commission: re-appointment of non-States Commissioner
The Minister for International Development, Deputy Carolyn Labey, proposed the re-appointment of Therese Morel as a non-States Commissioner of the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission for a further three-year term, until April 2028.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition via standing vote.
Skip to 6 minutes into this morning’s recording to watch the debate in full.
P.20 Extension of eligibility criteria for election candidates
Deputy Carina Alves proposed that the eligibility criteria for standing for Election be extended to include non-British citizens that have permanent Entitled status under the Control of Housing and Work Law and have passed the Citizenship Test. The Deputy also requested that the Privileges and Procedures Committee bring forward the required legislation in time for the 2026 General Election.
The States Assembly voted to REJECT the Deputy’s proposition with 18 votes for, 24 votes against and one abstention.
Skip to 9 minutes into this morning’s recording to watch the debate in full.
P.21 Regulation of Therapeutic Counselling Services
Deputy Tom Coles proposed that therapeutic counsellors be required to register with a governing body and with the Jersey Care Commission. The Deputy also requested that the Minister for Health and Social Services bring forward the required legislation by January 2026.
The States Assembly voted to REJECT the Deputy’s proposition with 18 votes for, 26 votes against and no abstentions.
Skip to 2 hours and 3 minutes into this morning's recording to watch the beginning of the debate.
Watch from the start of this afternoon’s recording to watch the conclusion of the debate.
Adjournment
The States Assembly then adjourned and will reconvene at 9:30am on Tuesday 22 April 2025.
