States Meeting Summary: 10-11 December
11 December 2024
Tuesday 10 DecemberQuestion Time
Questions with notice
This week’s States Meeting began with Ministers answering States Members’ questions with notice.
Skip to page 7 of the Order Paper to find out which questions were asked and watch from 10 minutes into this morning’s recording to hear questions with notice in full.
Questions without notice
States Members then asked the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, Deputy Mary Le Hegarat; Minister for Social Security, Deputy Lyndsay Feltham and the Chief Minister, Deputy Lyndon Farnham, questions without notice for 15 minutes each.
Skip to 1 hour and 51 minutes into this morning’s recording to watch questions without notice in full.
Statement
The Chair of the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel, Deputy Louise Doublet, gave a statement regarding the Panel’s Review of the Prescription of Medication for ADHD.
You can read the report in full on the States Assembly website.
Skip to 2 hours and 32 minutes into this morning’s recording to watch in full.
Public Business
P.46 Draft Shipping (Registration) (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202-.
The Minister for Sustainable Economic Development, Deputy Kirsten Morel, proposed amending the Shipping (Registration) (Jersey) Regulations 2004 to be able to terminate a ship’s registration for non-compliance with strengthened obligations placed on representative persons appointed for those ships owned by non-Jersey residents or businesses.
After the first reading, Deputy Sir Philip Bailhache proposed that the proposition should be called into Scrutiny for review.
The States Assembly voted to REJECT Deputy Bailhache’s proposition with 9 votes for, 30 votes against, and 4 abstentions.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition in the third reading with a standing vote.
Skip to 3 hours and 1 minute into this morning’s recording to watch the start of the debate.
Watch from the beginning of this afternoon’s recording to follow the remainder of the debate.
P.63 Amendment to Standing Orders – remote participation in States meetings
The Privileges and Procedures Committee have lodged an amendment to Standing Orders, to reflect that Members who are absent during a States Assembly meeting due to health-related reasons, or the health of a household member may participate and vote in debates remotely.
Skip to 2 hours and 13 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the beginning of the debate.
Wednesday 11 December
P.63 Amendment to Standing Orders – remote participation in States meetings
The meeting began with the continuation of the debate regarding a proposal from the Privileges and Procedures Committee to amend Standing Orders to reflect that Members who are absent during a States Assembly meeting due to health-related reasons, or the health of a household member, may participate and vote in debates remotely.
The States Assembly voted to refer the proposition back to the Privileges and Procedures Committee for further clarification and an amendment, if necessary, with 28 votes for, 11 votes against, and 3 abstentions.
It means the proposition will be brought back to the Chamber at a future sitting.
Watch from 6 minutes into this morning’s recording for the conclusion of the debate.
P.65 Public Elections: Extension of eligibility criteria
Deputy Montfort Tadier proposed to remove the requirement that someone must be a British citizen to stand for election as a Constable or Deputy in Jersey, and that all legislative changes are made in time for the 2026 election.
Deputy Moz Scott withdrew the proposed amendment that had been lodged to the proposition.
The States Assembly voted to REJECT Deputy Tadier’s proposition with 14 votes for, 31 votes against, and 1 abstention.
Skip to 1 hour and 43 minutes into this morning’s recording to watch the beginning of debate.
Watch from the beginning of this afternoon’s recording for the conclusion of the debate.
The Minister for Social Security, Deputy Lyndsay Feltham, proposed an amendment to the Draft Social Security Law (Parental Allowance and Death Grant) (Jersey) Regulations, which would extend parental allowance for up to 12 weeks if a baby is born prematurely and requires urgent medical care, or up to 4 weeks otherwise. Additionally, a death grant will be payable for a stillborn child.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition with 47 votes for, 0 votes against, and 0 abstentions.
Skip to 38 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
P.71 Reporting on Ministerial Affairs
Deputy Kristina Moore proposed that details of all external meetings attended by Ministers and Assistant Ministers be published monthly in arrears on the Government website, and details of all off-Island travel including the costs incurred be published within 30 days of their return.
The States Assembly debated this proposition but decided to vote to move to the next item on their agenda, and to return to debating this proposition at another sitting. They voted 34 votes for, 10 votes against, and 1 abstention to move the proposition.
Skip to 51 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate so far.
P.73/2024 Draft Limited Partnerships (Jersey) Amendment Law 202-
The Minister for External Relations, Deputy Ian Gorst, proposed amendments to the Limited Partnerships (Jersey) Law 1994, so that a partnership will not be automatically wound up if the sole general partner becomes cash flow insolvent.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition with 41 votes for, 0 votes against, and 0 abstentions.
Skip to 2 hours and 5 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
P.75/2024 Draft Employment and Discrimination Tribunal (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202-.
The Minister for Social Security, Deputy Lyndsay Feltham, proposed to remove the pay rates for members of the Jersey Employment and Discrimination Tribunal from the regulations. The Minister will still have the power to set these rates through an Order.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition with 42 votes for, 0 votes against, and 0 abstentions.
Skip to 2 hours and 12 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
P.76 Amendment to Standing Orders – Miscellaneous Amendments
The Privileges and Procedures Committee proposed an amendment to Standing Orders which reflects the new Ministerial titles being used in the current Government. It also proposed that the order of speeches by candidates for Ministerial positions be decided by ballot.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Privileges and Procedures Committee proposition with 43 votes for, 0 votes against, and 0 abstentions.
Skip to 2 hours and 18 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
P.77/2024 Draft Single-Use Plastics etc. (Restrictions) (Jersey) Amendment Law 202-.
The Minister for Infrastructure, Constable Andy Jehan, proposed amending the Single-Use Plastics etc. (Restrictions) (Jersey) Law 2021, to ban single-use vapes.
The aim is to address the environmental impact from disposable vapes which contain plastics, metals, and a lithium battery.
The States Assembly has voted to APPROVE Constable Andy Jehan’s proposition with 45 votes for, 0 votes against, and 0 abstentions.
Skip to 2 hours and 22 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
P.80/2024 Amendment to Standing Orders – timeline for Ministerial Appointments
The Privileges and Procedures Committee has proposed to make changes to the selection of a Chief Minister in situations other than an ordinary election. Three days would be allowed rather than the current 24 hours for nominations to be lodged in the event of a Vote of No Confidence; and three weeks in the event of the death of an incumbent Chief Minister.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Privileges and Procedure Committee's proposition.
For Part 1 they voted 44 votes for, 0 votes against, and 0 abstentions.
For Part 2 they voted 41 votes for, 3 votes against, and 0 abstentions.
Skip to 2 hours and 54 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
Adjournment
The States Assembly then adjourned and will reconvene at 9:30am on Thursday 12 December.
