States Meeting summary: 25 February
25 February 2025
This week’s States Meeting began with the announcement of the resignation of Mr Graeme Phipps from the Public Accounts Committee.
Skip to 7 minutes into this morning’s recording to watch the announcement in full.
Question Time
Questions with notice
Ministers then answered States Members’ questions with notice.
Skip to page 8 of the Order Paper to find out which questions were asked and watch from 9 minutes into this morning’s recording to hear questions with notice in full.
Questions without notice
States Members then asked the Minister for Children and Families, Connétable Richard Vibert; Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, Deputy Rob Ward; and the Chief Minister, Deputy Lyndon Farnham, questions without notice for 15 minutes each.
Skip to 1 hour and 57 minutes into this morning’s recording to watch questions without notice in full.
Public Business
The Council of Ministers proposed that the States of Jersey Development Company should, when developing a residential site, have secured a minimum of 25% of the Gross Development Value as legally binding pre-sales and meet third party funding requirements. The proposition also requires that when developing commercial sites, a sufficient level of pre-lets, together with unlet space, will deliver an end value of the completed building that exceeds the cost of construction.
The proposition was read as amended by the Council of Minister’s own amendment. It was presented to the States Assembly by the Minister for Treasury and Resources, Deputy Elaine Millar.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Council of Minister’s proposition with 40 votes for, 0 votes against and 0 abstentions.
Skip to 2 hours and 49 minutes into this morning’s recording to watch the debate in full.
Tribute
The Bailiff opened the afternoon session with a Tribute to former Senator Tony Chinn, who's died at the age of 90.
Tony was elected as a Senator in 1990 and served a six-year term, following in the footsteps of his grandfather who held the same position following the Occupation.
Tony sat on a number of Committees, including Finances and Economics, Telecoms, and Harbours and Airports as Vice-President. It was during his time on the Harbours and Airports Committee that the Saint-Malo catamaran ran aground on rocks near Corbiere in 1995. In 1997, he was asked to unveil the clasped hands sculpture which was place there to commemorate the rescue efforts.
He also took on the role of Chair of the Trade and Industry Sub-Committee, producing a number of reports in relation to the construction industry, promoting negotiation of tenders for best value for money and ways to achieve efficiency and competitiveness.
Outside of his role in the States Assembly, Tony worked at Hettich jewellers, which was established by his grandfather in 1900, eventually becoming its Chairman.
Go to the start of this afternoon’s recording to watch the Tribute.
Public Business
P.8 Draft Crime (Public Order) (Jersey) Amendment Law 202-.
The Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, Deputy Mary Le Hegarat, proposed to amend the Crime (Public Order) (Jersey) Law 2024 to provide clear provision regarding the treatment of restraining orders made under the now repealed Crime Disorderly Conduct and Harassment (Jersey) Law 2008. The amendment would allow any orders made under that law to be treated as though they were made under the current law.
The States Assembly approved, with a standing vote, to allow the Minister to reduce the minimum lodging period to enable the debate to take place during this meeting.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition with 47 votes for, 0 votes against and 0 abstentions.
Skip to 1 minute 47 seconds into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
P.9 Revocation of Aviemore sale
Deputy Alex Curtis proposed that the Minister for Infrastructure should not go ahead with the sale of Aviemore to the States of Jersey Development Company. The Deputy also requested that the Council of Ministers consult the States Assembly and the public about the future use and ownership of Aviemore.
The States Assembly voted to REJECT the Deputy’s proposition with 13 votes for, 29 votes against and 3 abstentions.
Skip to 8 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 Tuesday 18 March 2025.
