Views sought on Jersey’s petition system
States Assembly
6 March 2025
A survey has been launched to seek Islanders’ views on Jersey’s petition process as part of a wider consultation to develop the system.The Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC) has commissioned the review to ensure that the petition process works well for all Islanders and to identify areas for improvement.
Two types of petitions are currently available – the more popular online petitions and the long-established paper-form. The survey is seeking to gather feedback from Islanders about both forms of the current petition system.
Connétable Karen Shenton-Stone, Privileges and Procedures Committee Chair, said: ‘Since its introduction, the online petition system has been a popular method for Islanders to lobby States Members and help shape the political discussion.
‘Petitions are a fantastic way of ensuring topics that are important to Islanders are put on the political agenda, but it is timely that we seek the views of those who have engaged with the system, as well as those who have not, to consider how we might improve it for all Islanders going forward.’
In 2017, States Members agreed that e-petitions could be submitted to the Assembly. The PPC, which oversees the procedures of the States Assembly, brought proposals for the required Law changes the following year.
It was agreed by Members that e-petitions which reach 1,000 signatures would receive a response from the relevant Minister, while those that surpass 5,000 signatures would be eligible for an in-committee debate in the Chamber, which has no time limit and no vote.
Since launching the online petition system more than six years ago, a total of 87 topics have received ministerial responses, of which seven have passed the 5,000-signature threshold to be the subject of an in-committee debate by the States Assembly. These topics were:
- To introduce rental price caps.
- To extend the “hit-and-run” law to include cats.
- To make Green Street a one-way road.
- For the Courts to impose higher sentences for child-sex offences.
- To write off prior-year income tax liability for those that were moved to the current-year basis.
- To make old age pensions exempt from tax.
- A reduction in road fuel duty.
All responses will be anonymous, and the survey is open to all Islanders whether they have engaged with the petition system or not.
The survey is running until Monday 31 March and can be completed here.
More information on the Privileges and Procedures Committee is available here.
