States Meeting Summary: 18-19 April 2023
18 April 2023
Tuesday 18 April
Tribute by the Bailiff
This week's States Meeting began with a tribute to two former States Members, Hugh Raymond and Derek Maltwood, who recently passed away.
Skip to 10 minutes into this morning's recording to hear the tributes.
Statement
The Chief Minister then made a statement regarding the arrangements for appointing an Interim Chief Executive and Head of the Public Service, and the ongoing work to define the future of the role.
Skip to 24 minutes into this morning's recording to hear the statement and following questions in full.
Question Time
Questions with notice
Ministers then answered States Members' questions with notice. Skip to page 7 of the Order Paper to find out what questions were asked and watch from 1 hour and 16 minutes into this morning's recording to hear questions with notice in full.
Questions without notice
States Members then asked the Minister for Children & Education, Deputy Inna Gardiner, Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Deputy Kirsten Morel and the Chief Minister, Deputy Kristina Moore, questions without notice for 15 minutes each. Go to 3 hours into this morning's recording to watch the questions without notice.
Public Business
Draft Endangered species (CITES) (Amendment) (Jersey) Law 202-
The Minister for the Environment proposed an amendment to the Endangered Species (CITES) (Jersey) Law 2012, to ensure that Jersey Law always reflects the up-to-date position in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
The States Assembly voted to approve the Minister for the Environment's proposition unanimously, with 41 votes for.
Watch from 38 minutes of this afternoon's debate to watch the Minister's proposal and the ensuing debate.
Channel Islands Lottery Distribution of Proceeds
The Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Deputy Kirsten Morel, proposed to allocate Jersey's proceeds from the Channel Island Lottery (£633,458) equally between the Jersey Community Foundation & the Association of Jersey Charities.
The States Assembly voted to approve the Minister's proposition unanimously, with 45 votes for.
Skip to 46 minutes into this afternoon's recording to watch the debate in full.
Deputy Lyndon Farnham proposed to defer approval of buying land in Kensington Place from Andium Homes until the Assembly has had time to consider the detail of proposals for multi-site healthcare provision.
The States Assembly voted to reject the Deputy's proposition, with 17 votes for, 28 votes against, and 0 abstentions.
Skip to 1 hour and 17 minutes into this afternoon's recording to watch the debate in full.
Before bringing forward his proposition, Deputy Max Andrews accepted an amendment brought by the Council of Ministers, which would change the Consumer Protection (Unfair Practices) (Jersey) Law 2018 in order to prohibit estate agents from operating without membership to an independent, Government approved, redress scheme. Deputy Andrews then proposed to regulate Estate Agents in Jersey by ensuring that Estate Agents are members of a statutory regulatory body and independent redress scheme, to be introduced no later than December 2024.
Skip to 2 hours and 53 minutes into this afternoon's recording to watch the start of the debate.
Adjournment
The States Assembly then adjourned and will continue the debate on Deputy Max Andrews' proposition tomorrow morning (Wednesday 19 April) at 09:30am.
Watch the recording of this morning's States Meeting and this afternoon's States Meeting.
Wednesday 19 April
Public Business
Regulation of Estate Agents
The meeting opened with a continuation of the debate on Deputy Max Andrews' proposition to regulate Estate Agents in Jersey, by ensuring that Estate Agents are members of a statutory regulatory body and independent redress scheme, to be introduced no later than December 2024.
The States Assembly has voted to approve the Deputy's proposition as amended by the Council of Ministers, with 42 votes for, 0 votes against, and 1 abstention.
Watch the beginning of the recording to watch the debate.
Development levies
Deputy Raluca Kovacs proposed that a land development tax should be introduced to raise revenue from the States from any significant uplift in the value of land, i.e. from when land is rezoned or from when planning permission has been granted.
The Deputy accepted an amendment from the Council of Ministers which would redefine the 'land development tax' s as a 'charging mechanism'. It would also extend the timeline for the options to be considered.
The States Assembly voted to approve parts a and b of the Deputy's proposition, with 40 votes for, 1 vote against, and 2 abstentions. The Assembly has voted to reject part c of the proposition (relating to the charging mechanism being retrospective in nature), with 10 votes for, 31 votes against and 2 abstentions.
Watch from 36 minutes of the recording to watch the debate in full.
Jersey Homes Trust – assistance scheme
Deputy Sam Mézec, as rapporteur for Deputy Geoff Southern, proposed a scheme for tenants in relative low-income households affected by the Jersey Homes Trust rent increase of up to 9%, whereby rent increases would be subsidised for up to three months.
The States Assembly has voted to reject Deputy Southern's proposition, with 19 votes for, 23 votes against and 0 abstentions.
Watch from 2 hours and 45 minutes of the recording to watch the debate in full.
Adjournment
The States Assembly then adjourned and will reconvene at 09:30am on Tuesday 02 May 2023.
Watch the full recording of the States Meeting.
