States Meeting Summary 2 - 3 November
3 November 2021
Tribute
To begin this week's States Meeting, the Deputy Bailiff, Robert MacRae, paid tribute to the late former Deputy of St. Clement, Anne Dupre, who passed away last week. A minute's silence was held by the States Assembly.
Listen to the tribute by skipping to seven minutes into Tuesday morning's States Meeting.
Appointments
Chair of the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel, Deputy Mary Le Hegarat, nominated Senator Sam Mézec as a member of the Health and Social Security Panel. Senator Mézec was appointed to the Panel by the States Assembly.
Question time
Oral questions with notice
Non-executive States Members asked Ministers oral questions with notice for two hours and 20 minutes.
See what questions were asked by skipping to page eight of the Order Paper.
Listen to Ministers' answers to questions by skipping to 20 minutes into Tuesday morning's meeting.
Urgent oral question
The Constable of St. Brelade, Mike Jackson, asked the Minister for the Environment, an urgent oral question regarding E.U fishing vessels working in Jersey waters.
See the question in full by skipping to page 10 of the Order Paper.
Skip to two hours 41 minutes into Tuesday morning's meeting to hear the question asked in full.
Oral questions without notice
After questions with notice, non-executive States Members asked the following Ministers questions without notice for 45 minutes (15 minutes each):
The Minister for Housing and Communities, Deputy Russell Labey
The Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Senator Lyndon Farnham
The Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré
Catch up on questions without notice by skipping to three hours into Tuesday morning's meeting.
Public business
Changes to the way Social Security is collected and paid by employers
The Minister for Social Security, Deputy Judy Martin, requested to defer her proposal to change the way Social Security is collected and paid by employers until the States Meeting commencing Tuesday 23 November. The States Assembly voted to APPROVE this request.
Release of Competent Authorities Ministers' minutes to Scrutiny
Before the main debate, States Members debated whether the lodging period for the Council of Minister's amendment should be reduced, so it may be debated with the Corporate Services Panel's proposition. The States Assembly APPROVED to reduce the lodging period.
Chair of the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel, Senator Kristina Moore asked the States Assembly to agree that the Chief Minister should share in confidence, without redactions, any approved Competent Authorities Ministers meeting minutes with Scrutiny.
On behalf of the Council of Ministers, Senator John Le Fondré, proposed the amendment to the Corporate Services Panel's proposition: that the Competent Authorities Ministers share, in confidence, agendas, papers and actions agreed from meetings of the Competent Authorities Ministers. After debate, Senator John Le Fondré, on behalf of the Council of Ministers, withdrew the amendment to the Corporate Services Panel's proposition.
The States Assembly APPROVED that the Competent Authorities Ministers share, in confidence, agendas, papers and actions agreed from meetings of the Competent Authorities Ministers.
Employment Regulations
The Minister for Social Security, Deputy Judy Martin, proposed to increase statutory annual leave from two to three weeks per year, in addition to bank holidays, and to introduce the right to break for 15 minutes during working periods that last for at least six hours.
The Health & Social Security Panel proposed an amendment to the Minister for Social Security's proposition, requesting to increase the rest period to no less than 20 minutes, rather than 15 minutes, for working periods that last for at least six hours.
The States Assembly voted to approve the Minister for Social Security's proposed changes to the Employment Law, as amended by the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel. This means that by 1 January 2022, statutory annual leave will increase from two to three weeks, in addition to bank holidays, and the right to break for 20 minutes during working periods that last at least for six hours will be introduced. Find out how States Members voted here.
World Trade Organisation Regulations
The Minister for External Relations & Financial Services, Senator Ian Gorst, proposed draft regulations for Jersey to meet obligations as a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The States Assembly voted to approve the draft regulations which means Jersey will provide WTO diplomats with certain immunities and privileges. Find out how States Members voted here.
A recording of the debates will be shared here shortly.
The next States Meeting will take place on Tuesday 23 November.
