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STATES OF JERSEY
OFFICIAL REPORT
MONDAY, 3rd NOVEMBER 2014
COMMUNICATIONS BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER ........................................ 3
- Welcome to His Excellency The Lieutenant Governor: ................................... 3
- Media present at States meeting: .......................................................... 3
- Service of Dedication:...................................................................... 3
- Result of Referendum: ..................................................................... 3
- Welcome to Assistant Greffier of the States – Mrs. Anna Goodyear: ..................... 3
- Death of former States Member – Mr. Robin Hacquoil: .................................. 3
APPOINTMENT OF MINISTERS, COMMITTEES AND PANELS ........................... 4
- Deputy M.R. Higgins of St. Helier : ........................................................ 6
- Deputy M.R. Higgins: ...................................................................... 7
- Deputy G.P. Southern of St. Helier : ....................................................... 7
- Deputy G.P. Southern : ..................................................................... 8
- Connétable A.S. Crowcroft of St. Helier : .................................................. 8
- The Connétable of St. Helier : .............................................................. 8
- Deputy S.Y. Mézec of St. Helier : .......................................................... 9
- Deputy S.Y. Mézec : ....................................................................... 9
- Deputy M. Tadier of St. Brelade :.......................................................... 9
- Deputy M. Tadier : ..................................................................... 10
- Deputy J.A. Hilton of St. Helier : ...................................................... 10
- Deputy J.A. Hilton: .................................................................... 10
- Deputy R.J. Rondel of St. Helier :...................................................... 10
- Connétable D.W. Mezbourian of St. Lawrence : ...................................... 11
- Deputy J.A. Martin of St. Helier : ...................................................... 11
- Deputy C.F. Labey of Grouville : ...................................................... 12
- The Deputy of Grouville : .............................................................. 12
- Deputy J.M. Maçon of St. Saviour: .................................................... 12
- Deputy J.M. Maçon: ................................................................... 13
- Senator P.F.C. Ozouf : ................................................................. 13
- Deputy L.M.C. Doublet of St. Saviour : ............................................... 13
- Deputy L.M.C. Doublet : .............................................................. 14
- Connétable M.P.S. Le Troquer of St. Martin : ......................................... 14
- Deputy S.G. Luce of St. Martin : ...................................................... 15
- Connétable J. Gallichan of St. Mary : .................................................. 15
- Deputy T.A. Vallois of St. John: ...................................................... 15
- The Deputy of St. John :................................................................ 16
- Connétable M.J. Paddock of St. Ouen : ................................................ 16
- Connétable S.W. Pallett of St. Brelade : ............................................... 17
- The Connétable of St. Brelade : ........................................................ 17
- Deputy A.D. Lewis of St. Helier : ...................................................... 18
- Senator L.J. Farnham : ................................................................. 18
- Deputy M.R. Higgins: ................................................................. 18
- Deputy G.P. Southern : ................................................................ 19
- Deputy G.P. Southern : ................................................................ 19
- Deputy M. Tadier : ..................................................................... 19
- Deputy M. Tadier : ..................................................................... 20
- Deputy S.Y. Mézec : ................................................................... 20
- The Connétable of St. Helier : .......................................................... 20
- Deputy J.A. Hilton: .................................................................... 21 The Bailiff : ...................................................................................... 21
ADJOURNMENT .................................................................................. 21 APPENDIX ..................................................................................... 21 STATEMENT MADE BY SENATOR IAN JOSEPH GORST ................................ 21
[11:30]
The Roll was called and the Dean led the Assembly in Prayer. COMMUNICATIONS BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER
There are a number of matters which I wish to raise under A.
On this first sitting of the new Assembly following the election I am particularly pleased to welcome His Excellency. [Approbation]
Relating to the presence of the media, they have requested recently to be able to record the new Assembly for their library and they also wish, as previously, to record the Chief Minister's speech, if he makes one, but not questions thereafter. What I have said is that that will be in order, so I trust Members are content with that decision, which I had to take in the absence of the Assembly sitting.
Next, I would like to thank the Dean for arranging the service this morning, together with his colleagues who participated, so thank you very much to the Dean. [Approbation]
The next matter relates to the referendum under Article 6(7) of the referendum, Composition of the States Assembly (Jersey) Act 2014. The Greffier of the States must make arrangements for the result of the referendum to be reported to the States at their next meeting, so I now do so. There were 62,565 registered electors entitled to vote, there were 24,130 valid ballot papers, there were 148 invalid ballot papers. The question asked, as Members know, was: "Should the Constables remain as Members of the States as an automatic right?" The total number of valid votes for yes and no was as follows: yes, 15,069, so that is 62.5 per cent, and no, 9,061, which is 37.6 per cent. [Approbation]
The next matter is to welcome our new Assistant Greffier, Mrs. Anna Goodyear, who is over there, and she is sitting in the Assembly for the first time since taking up her post on 1st October. I have also administered to her the necessary oaths so that she can be Acting Greffier as and when necessary. So I am sure Members will welcome her to her new post. [Approbation]
Finally under A, Members will be aware that a former Member of the Assembly, Mr. Robin Hacquoil, died on Saturday, 25th October at the age of 82. Mr. Hacquoil was born in Jersey and educated at St. Peter's Parish School and then Victoria College, before going on to Oxford University. He was one of those Jerseymen who spent most of his working life outside the Island: he worked at the British Consulate in Strasbourg for a couple of years, but then he moved to Canada, where he spent some 30 years working for the Treasury Board of the National Research Council. One of the strengths of our system is that people who return to the Island after a career elsewhere can stand for the States and can offer their wider experience to the Assembly, and that is what Mr. Hacquoil did. He was elected as Deputy of St. Peter in December 1996 and was re- elected for a further term before retiring in 2002. Those, of course, were the days of committee government, and so he served on the Planning and Environment Committee and the Agricultural and Fisheries Committee before becoming Vice-President of the Industries Committee in December 1999 following his re-election. Subsequently, he became president of the Public Services Committee in 2002 and, during his time, the committee oversaw the Waste Strategy Review, including the drafting of the Waste Management (Jersey) Law, and proposals to construct the new energy from waste plant. The committee was also involved at that time in the development of a residents' parking scheme in St. Helier and the introduction of blue badges for disabled drivers. In the Assembly, he always spoke briefly and to the point and, as I have said, was perhaps able to bring a broad perspective to some of the issues confronting the States by reason of his experience of public service overseas. In committee, he was hardworking and always expressed his views clearly and forcefully, and I know that he was a passionate supporter of his Parish. He was extremely proud of his roots as a Jerseyman and he gave generously of his time to serve his Island following his return. On behalf of the States I express our condolences to his wife, Marlene, their 2 children and their 3 grandchildren, and I ask Members to rise with me for a few minutes in his memory.
APPOINTMENT OF MINISTERS, COMMITTEES AND PANELS
The Bailiff :
That completes matters under A, so we now turn to the only other matter on the Order Paper, which is the appointment of a Chief Minister. In accordance with the Standing Orders, I will ask the Greffier to read out the nomination.
The Greffier of the States:
One nomination was received for the post of Chief Minister by the statutory deadline. The Member nominated was Senator Ian Joseph Gorst . The nomination of Senator Gorst was made by the following 7 Members: Senator Andrew Kenneth Frances Green, M.B.E., Senator Paul Frances Routier, M.B.E., the Connétable of St. Lawrence , the Connétable of St. Mary , Deputy Edward James Noel of St. Lawrence , Senator Alan John Henry Maclean and the Deputy of St. Martin . Senator Gorst submitted to me a statement setting out his vision for a strategic policy and the manner in which he would propose to discharge his duties as Chief Minister, and that statement was circulated as required.
The Bailiff :
Very well. Then, there being no other nominations, I declare that, under Standing Order 116(2), Senator Gorst is elected technically as Chief Minister designate, although he at present has another hat, because he is the Chief Minister holding over from the previous Assembly, and will continue to do so until he takes office wearing his new hat, which will take place when his Council of Ministers is elected. But whichever hat he is wearing, he is appointed. [Approbation]
Senator P.F. Routier:
Sir, I am sure Members would like to have the opportunity to test the Chief Minister. I just wondered whether it would be appropriate for me to ask that Senator Gorst make a statement, and then Members will have the opportunity to ask questions, as would have been the case if there had been a contested election?
The Bailiff :
Yes. Were there to have been a contested election, each candidate would have spoken for up to 10 minutes and then could have been questioned for up to one hour. Would Members agree that it would be a useful exercise for Senator Gorst to go through that process, even though there is no other candidate? Very well, I take that as general assent, in which case I shall invite Senator Gorst to speak for up to 10 minutes and then there can be questioning for up to one hour.
I will just change hats. I believe firmly that we have been elected into the offices that we have just been sworn into because we all want to see a successful and a cohesive community; a community where we support education and training, a community where we support economic growth and a community where we support jobs; where we support affordable homes, where we support good health, and a community where we support a secure retirement for all. These must remain our priorities. The last Council of Ministers made significant progress on addressing these priorities and over the next 3½ years we must continue to work, but we must do so with more pace. We, of course, face a backdrop of continuing worldwide economic uncertainty, as you mentioned in your words in the Royal Court. The growing demand for enhanced public services needs to be balanced against finite resources.
[11:45]
This improvement needs to be funded by a combination of savings, of prioritisation and of future economic growth. While, of course, it has been encouraging to see unemployment falling, there are still too many who face the challenges of life without paid work. I intend to strengthen our approaches to helping and incentivising people into work; but getting more Islanders into work requires a successful strategy for economic growth. I believe we now have the building blocks in place to encourage innovation, to attract quality businesses and to maximise local enterprise, but we must remember we are competing with other jurisdictions around the world. Jersey faces a global challenge to secure sustainable growth and prosperity; it is a challenge that we cannot afford to lose. We must ensure that our legislation maintains our competitiveness; our approach to regulation must encourage and foster new enterprise while upholding fair competition and open markets. We must continue to support the financial services sector, protecting existing markets and products while at the same time promoting our services to new overseas markets and innovating new products. We must also ensure the financial stability and certainty which this sector requires. I will be proposing to establish a new monetary authority; and the monetary authority will be tasked with identifying and assessing the threats to financial stability in Jersey and with providing independent advice on actions to meet these threats. Jersey also needs to be a leader in the digital sector. The development of Digital Jersey will help to promote new technologies and expansion into niche areas such as fintech and cryptocurrencies. This work must be strengthened by boosting innovation and ensuring that our communications remain globally competitive. Financial services and the digital area need to have a greater focus and a political champion within government. I also support a strong new tourism strategy with bold targets. Jersey has a depth and a variety of culture and heritage which is second to none. The new Visit Jersey organisation will be able to innovate, will raise the Island's profile and promote us as a year-round event-led destination. There are great opportunities in 2015 with major events, like Liberation 70 and the 2015 Island Games. Agriculture and Fisheries, of course, continue to be important to our Island community: our farmers are valued custodians of our countryside who help to sustain our environment and keep Jersey beautiful. Our fishermen maintain our essential connection with the sea, providing us with highly- prized and freshly-caught produce and are a growing export product. New strategies for the rural economy and sea fisheries will be important milestones in the evolution of these industries. Tourism also needs to have a new champion within government. Every local industry needs excellent staff if it is to succeed; equally, we need to be certain that all our young people are given the best opportunity to reach their full potential. Our school leavers must be able to fill the job opportunities that arise; we must continue to improve the connections between education and the skills our employers need, both now and into the future. If we continue to establish targeted training schemes for areas of the economy where demand is picking up, like the new construction and the care sectors, then more jobs will be provided and filled by residents. I will also be continuing efforts to raise academic standards and vocational opportunities in our schools and colleges. Our school leavers must be able to compete successfully, not only for jobs but also for
university places, so we must aim for the highest standards possible. As Chief Minister, I want to help create a community where everyone feels valued, where everyone is treated fairly and where everyone is adequately housed and cared for. It is not surprising that in an Island such as ours we face challenges with the supply and affordability of homes but we need to improve that supply and to do that we need to build. Andium Homes is providing new rental homes and refurbishing the existing housing stock. We need to work with the construction sector to tackle labour supply issues and the new Strategic Housing Unit is integrating housing policy with all other aspects of social policy. Our current approach to supporting people with disabilities is piecemeal. If we want all Islanders to be able to participate fully in our community, then we need a cohesive approach. I have initiated the groundwork for a disability strategy; likewise, our community wellbeing depends on everyone being treated fairly and without discrimination. As we prepare to deal with an ageing population, we must maintain high quality health and social care while ensuring that this remains affordable in the longer term. The redesign of our health system is focusing on community-based support and on home care. Rapid response teams are already keeping hospital stays to a minimum, but more must be done. Mental health has not received the attention it deserves, and I am supporting plans to update the Mental Health Law and to radically improve the support available for people with mental health issues. Of course, there is a need for a new hospital. Whether we ultimately opt for a single or a dual-site solution, that will be a decision for this Assembly, but what I am certain of is that we need to get on with it. We must, at the same time, keep up our efforts to reform the public services. Technology improvements will provide enhanced customer service and easier interaction with States departments, workforce modernisation continues, a new reward structure is to be underpinned by a new job evaluation scheme, and they are in development. I continue to be committed to working with trade union representatives to secure the changes that we all need while retaining a motivated and dedicated workforce. I have seen that our public servants work incredibly hard, with commitment and dedication but, with limited resources, we need to control costs and review whether we are asking our staff to do the right things. We need to think continuously about how we can serve the public better with the same resources and the same money. This - providing more with the same resources - will be the focus of the next Medium- Term Financial Plan in the first 6 months of 2015, ensuring balanced budgets over the medium term. This will be a difficult but very important task. Time does not allow me to go into all the other aims and the other parts of my vision this morning; simply to say it has been an honour and a privilege for me to serve in this capacity over the last 3 years and it will go on being an honour and a privilege for me to continue to serve this Assembly and our community as Chief Minister. I am confident that Jersey has strong foundations, but we remain a small Island in a vast and challenging world. Tomorrow, I expect to publish my nominations for Ministerial office, and these will reflect the challenges that we need to meet and overcome. We all need to work together to secure our future wellbeing; I believe Islanders expect no less. [Approbation]
The Bailiff :
We now have up to one hour for questions and, in accordance with the directions I gave, I must ask the media to stop filming and to remove their cameras. In relation to questions, each Member who asks a question can ask one supplementary if he or she wishes. Thereafter, I shall try and take Members who have not asked a question before, but obviously if we run out of those I shall allow a Member to ask a second question. Let us start now. Deputy Higgins?
To assist Members who are considering contesting Ministerial appointments, will the Chief Minister outline any changes he is making or proposing to make to Ministerial portfolios?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
Yes, hopefully I give an indication in my opening remarks and in my vision statement that there are a number of areas that I believe that we need to focus on and therefore we need to move portfolios; that is, we need to focus on the Medium-Term Financial Plan, we need to focus on creating balanced budgets and doing what we do in the public service with the same resource that we have got. That needs to be one Minister's focus. We also need to focus on economic growth, because if we focus simply on balancing the books and we do not put appropriate focus on to improving and increasing the income line, then we will have failed before we started. As I have said, I will be hoping to publish my nominees for Ministerial office tomorrow; at the same time I will publish changes that I am proposing in the portfolios of those said Ministers.
Rather than wait for tomorrow, could the Chief Minister tell us what he proposes to do about Sport and Education, for example, the Tourism portfolio within E.D.D. (Economic Development Department)?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
As I said, I am aiming to publish those tomorrow but those are areas where I will be proposing to make changes. Of course, those changes need to be approved by the States so I will, in due course - hopefully at the end of this week - be lodging changes to legislation. They will also require Ministerial decisions. The areas that the Deputy referred to, I am proposing to change where they sit within governmental departments.
Eight sides of a statement and not one mention anywhere in that of the shortfall in taxation that we have in the 2015 Budget. To what extent does the Chief Minister consider that that shortfall is an indicator of an expansion of low-quality low-paid work in the Island? In particular, what does he propose to do about any such expansion of low-quality jobs, particularly the 6,000 zero-hours jobs we currently have, which is a remarkably high number compared to the U.K. (United Kingdom)?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
Sir, was that one question? I could not quite be sure. The Bailiff :
I think it is to do with low-paid employees.
Senator I.J. Gorst :
If the Deputy reads my vision statement, he will see that right through it I talk about needing to do more with the same amount of money that we have got, and that arises from what happened during Budget 2015 where the independent advisers of the income line - so the Income Tax Forecasting Group - told us that income was not going to be quite what we might have envisaged it to be at the start. So we put forward a Budget which balanced the Consolidation Fund, which I think was absolutely the right thing to do. Members will see also in my statement, and I have just answered Deputy Higgins, about why I believe there has to be an increased focus on delivering economic growth. We need at least 2 individuals focusing on different areas that are going to deliver economic growth. The issue about low-paid and zero-hours contracts I think is a different question; of course, we have seen a change in the labour market figures and we have seen an increase perhaps in jobs which are not paying as much as others, and we have for the first time seen with the manpower returns the number of zero-hours contracts in our community. The Deputy knows that already Social Security and the Chief Minister's Department is reviewing that; the providing of that information is the first part of the review. The Jersey Annual Social Survey will be a continuing part of the review. We need to ask ourselves why are employers using those: are there unintended consequences arising from the employment legislation? If there are, are we going to deliver a code of practice to make sure they are only used in appropriate circumstances?
The Chief Minister did not quite answer the question, although he struggled manfully with it. The question was: to what extent is that due, does he believe, to the expansion of low-paid, low-quality work and what is he prepared to do about improving the quality of jobs in the Island? Because that has been an aim of the last session as well as this.
The Bailiff :
A supplementary, Deputy ; that is it. [12:00]
Senator I.J. Gorst :
We are already doing things and we need to do more of those similar things. H.A.W.A.G. (Housing and Work Advisory Group) is doing just that: they are taking licences away from those sectors of the economy where they think that local individuals can work, taking them off income support and getting them into paid work, and managing that in a more robust way. Locate Jersey and the Economic Development Department are going out and fighting for new business and inward investment, creating jobs which are creating economic value in our community. At the same time we are doing all the other work on the use of zero-hours contracts that I have just spoken about.
I would like to congratulate the Chief Minister on his election. I am slightly concerned that the word "environment" does not appear in his written statement, although he did mention it in his speech just now under the heading of the role of agriculture. What is the Chief Minister going to do to make sure that issues like air and water quality, biodiversity, climate change, are fully taken forward by a champion of the environment in his Council of Ministers?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I was conscious writing my vision statement that it is quite easy in the world of modern technology for somebody to do a word search and not see exactly the word that they were particularly looking for. But I believe that my record over the last 3 years speaks for itself. We as a government have brought forward the Energy Policy, a policy which was quagmired for many years, and we have brought it forward. That is going to be the foundation upon which we can build sustainable energy policy into the future. The External Relations Department are dealing with issues with regard to the seabed. We know that tidal technology is going to be our future energy provider and we are working to ensure that that is possible. There are a number of policies in place and the person that I propose to be Minister for Planning and Environment, I have no doubt whatsoever, will be taking those policies forward and making sure that they are delivered upon. One of my frustrations over the last 3 years is it is quite easy to develop a strategy and a policy, but much more difficult to start to deliver it with actions. That is what we as a government and we as an Assembly need to focus on over the next 3½ years.
I am sure that the Minister did not mean to suggest that the environment of Jersey is something that was left out and a word search could have picked it up. However, I do welcome his comments and I would ask him: does he agree with me that Jersey's wonderful environment is something which
the tourism champion that he has already referred to can clearly add to the offerings of Heritage when they sell Jersey to tourists coming from abroad?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I am a great believer in interconnectedness and that is exactly, I think, what the Connétable is trying to say. You cannot just talk about one particular issue because it is interconnected with many others, and our environment is such. It is about sustainability, it is about keeping Jersey special, which ties-in to tourism. It is about a sustainable farming sector, it is about a sustainable fishing industry. It is all connected. It makes us the people that we are, it makes us the community that we are, and we need to protect it, preserve it, but make sure that it evolves so that it has a place in our future as well.
The previous 3 years have seen the positive development of Jersey developing its own voice and identity in international affairs to a much greater degree than we have seen before. Sadly though, our foreign policy has contained no hint of any moral judgment whatsoever when dealing with dictatorships and human rights abusers, like the United Arab Emirates, China and Israel. Can the Chief Minister give us a guarantee that the next term will be different?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
The previous Council of Ministers were the first Council of Ministers and the first of any government in Jersey to develop a common foreign policy. I stand by that foreign policy, I think it was an important and sound document, and I see that little will change when we come to reconsider it for the next 3½ years. We believe in positive engagement, and that is how we see change around that world. In that regard, we follow the U.K. foreign policy, and I see no reason to deviate from that.
Does the Chief Minister agree with me that within the foreign policy we already have and within the foreign policy of the United Kingdom, it is possible for there to be room for manoeuvre so that representatives of the Jersey Government do not meet, for example, people like the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, part of whose job is to facilitate the illegal settlements which result in people being kicked out of their homes and replaced? This is something which the whole international community condemns. Does he not believe that there is room for manoeuvre there and we should not be meeting with people like that?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I believe there are many situations around the world which are extremely complex and it is easy for us in this Assembly to make statements that might try and suggest that there are easy solutions. On my trip to the Middle East that I think the Deputy is referring to, I met a number of politicians, not least of which was the President, who favours a 2-state solution. These are complex issues and, as I said, we stand by our policy of positive engagement which mirrors British foreign policy.
The Chief Minister spoke about supporting jobs in his speech. Will the Chief Minister be using any of his influence to try and protect the significant number of jobs that are being threatened by the Co-op planning to move its operations to the U.K., not just for their staff but for related staff within the Island?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
Ministers are apprised of developments by various local businesses as they are developing their strategy and I think that the Co-op have engaged with those staff who might be affected and with shareholders of the Co-op. Perhaps I should raise a conflict, being a family that is a shareholder of the Co-op. But at the same time, there are commercial issues that the Co-op needs to address, and they must be allowed to do so in what they think will ultimately be in the best interests of the consumers of Jersey.
This ultimately comes down to supporting local workers whose jobs are being threatened and whether or not the Chief Minister can live up to the words he has just spoken and follow it up with some meaningful action. As such, will the Chief Minister at least take the opportunity to go and meet those individuals at the Co-op, and related distributors, to see if a compromise can be settled so that jobs can be saved and that business which would otherwise be taking place in Jersey and that money will not being going out the economy and will be kept in the local economy? Will the Chief Minister undertake to make those arrangements?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
Individuals employed by the States who work at Social Security do such work and do go out and liaise with employers and individual employees who might be affected in such a way. But Ministers have to balance the benefits to consumers in our community with the commercial change that any particular business might believe is in Jersey's best interest, and I will continue to watch the particular situation with interest. I do not think it is right at this particular point for the Chief Minister to go wading-in in what is a commercial decision of the company and, as I understand it, is also to be put before the shareholders.
Does the Chief Minister stand by his previous commitment to ensure that all serious case reviews carried out by the Safeguarding Board should, where at all possible, be placed in the public domain? Can he explain in what circumstances he thinks they should not be?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
The first part of that question is quite straightforward, the answer is yes, and I share the view of the Deputy in that regard. We have an independent chair who ultimately, with the Safeguarding Committee - and I may have used the incorrect word there to describe it - makes those decisions. Therefore, it is not possible for me to second-guess on what unusual or exceptional grounds there might be for such a report not to be published. But I would suspect that in most cases, if that decision were to be made, it would be about protecting ultimately either the vulnerable individual concerned or their family.
In the case that the Chief Minister just mentioned about protecting an individual or their family, does he not agree with me: where you have circumstances where the individual or family agree for the serious case review to be put in the public domain, it should in fact be put in the public domain?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
That, of course, would put a different complexion upon things, but it would ultimately still be a decision for the independent chair. I know there are cases ongoing; I am not sure whether that information has been taken into consideration when making that decision.
Would the Chief Minister be able to comment as to why, in his view, we have failed to deliver affordable homes in the past? Indeed, we now have a housing waiting list that for the last 3 years is now approaching the 800 mark. How does he believe this will change during the next 3 years, despite making the same sort of commitment in words 3 years ago?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
We have done a lot over the last 3 years, as the Deputy knows: we have set up Andium Homes, the wholly-owned States delivery vehicle; they are investing in social and affordable homes. We have issued a £250 million bond to deliver funding into that particular sector. We have got 50 families into homes through the deposit loan scheme. I believe that we should do a similar scheme again in pretty short order. We have amended the Island Plan, zoning controversial and difficult sites to improve supply. It comes back to what I think needs to be an overriding aim of the forthcoming Assembly, and that is not just talking about things but getting things done. I believe that we are in a good place, when it comes to housing, to start to get things done. Supply is critically important. I was asked recently in an interview why did I think it was important. Housing is so important because I believe that everybody has a right to suitable housing but it is equally important that, if we want young families to stay and feel they have got a future in Jersey, they need to feel that they can afford a home and that they can see that they have got a future and a place to call their own. If we do not make decisions that deliver on those policies then we are failing our community.
My question has already been asked, however I have thought of another one for the Chief Minister, which refers to the States Employment Board, which the Chief Minister has chaired for the past 3 years. In his speech, he mentioned the importance of continuing to work closely with trade unions and, indeed, there are many complex issues that the S.E.B. (States Employment Board) addresses. My question to him is: will he continue to chair the States Employment Board, because I understand he can decide to allocate that to another Minister potentially, and if he does, what will be his priorities for the S.E.B. for the next 3½ years?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
Can I start by thanking the Connétable for the excellent service that she has given on the States Employment Board over the last 3 years. I do not say that lightly. Working on the States Employment Board is a difficult job; mostly issues only come to us when they have become quite a large problem and we are left holding the baby, as it were. The Connétable 's sound commonsense advice has been greatly appreciated by myself, and I know other members of the States Employment Board. With regard to the question: I have not yet decided whether I will chair the States Employment Board. On the one hand it is a duty that I would like pass on to another, because it is extremely time-consuming; on the other, it is going to continue to be extremely important as we modernise the public sector.
[12:15]
Reducing the number of pay spines, getting an appropriate performance management system in place, continuing to work in partnership with unions right across the public sector is going to be very important. So it might be that rather than chairing it I just sit on it, but those also are the priorities that the States Employment Board is going to have to deliver upon and, of course, continue its work that it started in regard to reforming public sector pensions.
I would like to add my congratulations to the Chief Minister who has been designate now for over 9 days, and he has always mentioned that the person he has in mind for planning will have a big environment head on as well. My question therefore is: although the law does not require the Chief Minister to put his chosen slate forward before early on 5th November, which is Wednesday, would he do that today and, if not, could he tell us why not?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
The law does, of course, require me to provide it by, I think it is 9.00 a.m. or 9.30 a.m. on Wednesday morning. I am intending to do it early and do it tomorrow, and I hope that I will be in a position to do it first thing in the morning.
The final paragraph in the Chief Minister's section on the economy is headed up Agriculture and Fisheries. He refers to the farmers as "custodians of the countryside" and how they save government money in doing branchage and, contrary to the heading of the paragraph, he does not say anything about the fishing industry. What is his vision for these industries, other than writing strategies?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I thank the Deputy of Grouville for her excellent work in the 2 fields that she has just asked a question on, over the last 3 years. She knows that they are industries which have not enjoyed, I do not believe, the level of support in government that they ought to have enjoyed, because they are fundamental parts, not only of our history, but I believe also of our culture. When it comes to agriculture, we have a set amount of money that we currently distribute in many myriad ways to the agricultural industry. I believe that the new rural economy strategy is an opportunity to break down those silos, to break down all those schemes and ask industry how would they like us to apply that funding in a better way than we currently are. Another important question that needs to be asked and a policy that we need to deliver on is making sure that it is going to the right places, and that is those people who are farming, and not necessarily the landowners or owners of large multinational operations. When it comes to fishing, I believe that the only answer for the .. I say "conflict" with our sister isle on this particular issue is for a Channel Islands fishery management agreement. I will work together with the new Minister for External Relations to deliver such an agreement. It is not going to be easy, but I believe that it is fundamental to the future wellbeing of that particular sector.
Where will these industries feature on his agenda? Because, as he knows very well, they have come near the end of most people's agendas in the past Assembly.
Senator I.J. Gorst :
No doubt they will be vying for the number one spot, like everyone else but, seriously, already over the last fortnight I have met with representatives of both industries to try and understand where and how we can better represent them.
Does the Chief Minister intend to amend the current population immigration policies and, if so, how and, if not, why not?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I suppose really, the question is: when. The current interim policy, for all that it has been criticised, is working and we see that from the manpower returns figure published, unhelpfully, midway through the election campaign, but there we are. That policy needs to continue to work in the way that we envisaged throughout 2015. At the same time throughout 2015, we need to continue the work for a long-term policy preparing for our future and looking to see the type of Jersey that we want to see into the future, of which population is an important part.
I wonder if I can drill down and ask the Chief Minister whether he feels that the current immigration policy is working in regards to the digital sector, and perhaps the criteria given towards those type of companies need to be changed in order to enable that part of our economy to grow?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
Currently, the Ministers involved in that area do look at each individual application carefully and make decisions in that regard. The Deputy raises a very good point: we need to be flexible and we need to make sure that we are attracting those businesses, in that particular sector, probably often small, probably not with great earning potential in the first instance, but certainly with the potential to develop into powerful drivers of our economy into the future. That is one of the reasons why I believe that we need to change where the representation of digital sits and appoint someone who is going to consider all these issues in the round, because they are interconnected, as I said on other issues.
A fairer deal for the residents and ratepayers of St. Helier has been sought and called for for a number of years. He has reflected a statement about St. Helier in his statement. Can he say publicly that he will give his support to the setting up of a working party for a negotiation of a new deal for St. Helier ? Will he say that he absolutely supports that process continuing to work within the 150 days before a Medium-Term Financial Plan is completed?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I am not sure how many questions there were there. If I simply say yes, and we can read that across to all of those questions. It is a very important issue. If we are to deal with the housing question that Deputy Rondel asked me, if we are to protect our environment, and a question which the Connétable of St. Helier asked me about, we need to support St. Helier appropriately, we need to enable St. Helier to be much more masters of their own destiny when it comes to master planning and delivering supply of housing and the conversion of secondary office space into residential units. All those things should not be done unto them, but they should be right there at the table making decisions and having the power to act upon those decisions. It might be that I even ask the questioner to chair such a group.
My congratulations to the Chief Minister. When reading his vision statement, I noticed the 1,001- day commitment, which is investing in children in their early years, from conception to age 2. Can I ask the Chief Minister to elaborate on which points from this programme he would like to implement first, please? [Approbation]
Senator I.J. Gorst :
May I offer congratulations in reciprocation to Deputy Doublet ; not only on her election, but also upon her engagement. [Approbation] For me, I suppose from personal family experience, support for children - I will use that term - from conception until they start school is extremely important. We are beginning to learn, and it is becoming accepted, that support, attachment, being in a family, having the appropriate resources, is fundamental to citizens' brain development and their ultimate place in our community. I do not want to pick out any one particular area; I have already started speaking to my staff about how we can deliver a joined-up approach between Education and Health and my Social Policy Unit, but equally as important, I believe, through the third sector. Because we have some excellent programmes, certainly down at The Bridge, that are doing exactly this
work, but we need to make sure that they have the appropriate funding in place, that they are working appropriately in connection with government, because it is critically important for our future. It might sometimes be a difficult area to get resources for and to support, because we do not see the benefits until many, many years down the line. But when you look at that medical evidence, those children who have had this support have brains that are physically larger than those that do not. I believe that any government looking at that evidence would not want to do anything other than put this high up on the political agenda and give it all the support that it needs.
I would like to thank the Chief Minister for his response. Can he speak a bit about if we do have to make cuts across States departments will he be aiming to protect departments such as Education and Health and Social Services which are working for our most vulnerable and youngest islanders?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
Budget 2015 was a difficult process and I have no doubt that whoever this Assembly elects to the office of Minister for Treasury and Resources will be elated for probably something like a minute, and then they will realise the job of work that they have to undertake around balancing the books. The Health Department have made really great progress over the last 3 years at the same time as being given extra money for the development of the White Paper. They have also been, where they could, cutting out inefficiency, increasing productivity, but they know that they have got to do more and it is not going to be easy for them to do that. We have protected their budget and we will continue, I believe, to protect their budget, whether they are quite able to use the growth monies and get the growth money in the way that we might have initially envisaged is another question. The Education Department is a department that .. I am not going to say we need to put into intensive care, but it is going to need a lot of support, both from Ministers and this Assembly and from the community over the next 3½ years, and there will be the need for extra resources in some areas. But they, like every other department, will have to make sure that they are delivering efficiently and productively.
The Chief Minister implied self-criticism maybe when he spoke in his statement of pace, and that more pace was needed in this new government. Can the Chief Minister tell the Assembly what areas he believed were too slow, where it may have gone wrong, what has been learned, and will it mean a requirement for an increased Civil Service to achieve this pace?
The Bailiff :
That sounds quite a tricky question to answer concisely, but anyway. Senator I.J. Gorst :
I suppose I have not done some concisely so far, Sir. If I can answer the last question first. I do not believe that, as a general rule, we should look to increasing the Civil Service to deliver on the aim of pace. Do we think that in the hospitals they are going to need more frontline staff? Then the answer has got to be yes to that. Do we think that in the Education Department they are going to have to think about whether they are appropriately staffed in the appropriate areas, then the answer has to be yes to that. But we have got to remember, every time that someone in this Assembly or a Minister comes forward with a new proposal to do something new, generally the rule has been: "Well, that money is used on staff to deliver on that new proposal." So we are going to have to think very carefully before we start bringing new proposals forward, unless we can find commensurate savings elsewhere, either within that particular department or within another department. Bearing in mind, it is always easy to criticise another department and believe that they have got appropriate slack, even if your own, you believe, does not. I am not a great believer in looking back and being critical; yes, we can learn from the past, although I forget the person that made this well-known saying: "The only thing we learn from the past is that people do not learn from the past." I am a believer in setting forward a vision. I know we need to work harder and faster at delivering economic growth. I know we are going to need to work faster at ensuring that the States is more efficient and that we deliver for the public of this Island. That is where I want to concentrate.
[12:30]
I know also we have still got many long-outstanding social policy objectives that we want to deliver on. We will not deliver or be able to deliver on those social policy objectives unless we deliver economic growth. Thank you.
Another subject that is not covered in the Chief Minister's statement is that of cross-Channel Islands Co-operation and I just wondered when it comes to working together with our sister islands, whether the Chief Minister has any new Channel Islands initiatives that can be used for mutual benefit?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
That is a very good question. I personally have an excellent relationship with the current Chief Minister of Guernsey, as I did with the previous 2 Chief Ministers of Guernsey in this office. It takes both parties in a relationship to want to work together and there are some areas where we have worked incredibly well together, and we have developed new initiatives. If I am honest with the Deputy , one area where I would like to see us working together where we have not is in the area of fishing. It affects members of an important part of our economy and we have not seemed to be able to master that joint working. That is an area where I believe that certainly the Chief Ministers of both Islands are committed to delivering and I want to see that happen. Of course it is no secret that I believe that we should be moving to more federated or confederated structures at the highest level, certainly when it comes to dealing with external relations, and I will continue to work in that general direction.
In his statement the Chief Minister designate referred to the digital opportunity and he also hinted at a new Ministerial focus for that. Does he see this as a key area in the diversification of Jersey's economy and if so, will he elaborate on how he intends to enable this at a political level?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
Yes, I do. It has got perfect synergy with the major driving force of our economy, that being the financial services. Of course we know that that particular industry already deals remotely with clients and uses technology in their dealing, but that is only going to increase and increase at a more rapid pace. We know that some sectors of financial services are continuing to consolidate and change. We know that others are growing and we know that technology is right there in the mix of it. The Connétable perhaps will bear with me and wait until tomorrow. I want to start this work right out of the gate, so I will be using the current structure to do that, but I will be proposing to create a new Ministry, it will not be a new department. We have to get away from the belief that each Minister has to have a big department with many tens and hundreds of civil servants; they do not. They simply need a couple of people who are going to be able to deliver what their policy objective is but the critical bit is going to be that Ministerial focus, and that is what I will be proposing.
Could the Chief Minister explain in his speech he stated that we all need to work together to deliver. Could he explain how he intends to go forward over the next 3½ years in working with Scrutiny and listening to their recommendations? [Approbation]
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I believe that the Deputy of St. John , as head of Scrutiny, worked more constructively with the previous Council of Ministers than happened previously. Perhaps I could publicly implore her to consider whether she has not done such a good job over the last 3 years that she does not think that she might consider putting herself forward to consider carrying on with that work. There is always going to be an element of Ministers setting forth their policy and legislation, and Scrutiny coming along and occasionally being critical and asking for a change of direction. I think we have seen that best exemplified with the Health, Social Services and Housing Panel where Ministers have taken very seriously the reports that that particular panel have produced and changed direction and made policy decisions on the back of them. We have got to move away from simple political dogma and allowing that to divide us and we have to continue working together because, as I said in my opening statement, I believe that that is what the Island expects of us, and I have been thrilled with the number of conversations that I have had with new Members and with old Members about their desire to work together, to deliver for Jersey, to be perhaps more consensual than we have been in the previous 3 years. We have got some very difficult decisions to make about spending, about balancing the book over the next 3½ years, and that is going to require all of us to come together and from time to time put behind our political dogma and find solutions in the best interests of Jersey. Scrutiny have done incredibly well over the last 3 years and I see no reason why they cannot build on that over the next 3½ years. If we have to consider whether those reports are debated in the States or Ministers have a different way of responding to them, then let us do that.
Supplementary, Sir. Could I ask then that the Chief Minister, first as part of his role, coming forward will be to provide evidence as to what the Council of Ministers have achieved in terms of following recommendations from Scrutiny?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
Ministers do of course reply to Scrutiny Panels. Some of that evidence has been quite obvious I would have thought in statements that Ministers have made and in decisions that they have made as well. Whether there needs to be a collation of another document to bring all that together I am not sure, but I will certainly consider it. During the last 3 years, I was a strong supporter of removing the Troy Rule, however, I accepted the result of the Machinery of Government Sub-panel that said: "No, we must keep them separate." I was however recently challenged about whether I continue to hold that view or not, and it brings for me into sharp relief that there are many talented people who have been elected to this Assembly to serve this Island for the next 3½ years, but when it comes to Ministerial jobs there is only a limited number and, again, there is only a limited number of positions for Assistant Ministers. I do have to consider that part of the difficult task is trying to fit people into those jobs and not everybody will be satisfied because they might feel that their talents are not being put to best use. Firstly, I would encourage them and say their talents can be put to excellent use in the Scrutiny function because I think we have seen that it works, and it changes Ministers' minds. But secondly, perhaps we might need to reconsider that old chestnut as well.
I have a vision at the moment of seeing my ex-colleague of St. John sitting by the radio listening to this Assembly waiting for a Member to ask the question to the Minister with regards his future over the next 3 years of the infrastructure of the Island. By that I mean sewage, water, sea defences, roads, et cetera.
The Bailiff :
You are going to take over the Constable's mantle? [Laughter] The Connétable of St. Ouen :
I did make him a promise, Sir.
Senator I.J. Gorst :
Perhaps I could counsel my own Connétable from taking on that mantle but that will be for him to decide. He will recall, of course, in the Liquid Waste Strategy for the first time Ministers were considering creative ways of trying to extend the sewerage network to those hard-to-reach places. Personally, I believe that is going to be helpful. It may not be that Government meets the full cost. In fact it is most unlikely that we will be able to afford to do so, but I hope that those changes will come forward in due course and those who are not currently on that system will find it helpful. The other thing that we have to do is that when the good economic times return, and I believe that they will, the F.P.P. (Fiscal Policy Panel) tell us that they are just round the corner, if we look at their forecasts for 2015 and 2016, that is the point when we need to think about putting aside money for further infrastructure spending.
I am a bit wary about mentioning electoral reform so early in an Assembly but I feel I must. You formally announced this morning the result of the referendum, I think that clearly said the public do want the Constables in the States but in the Chief Minister's statement, he does mention a Grand Reform Committee to look at electoral reform. The question is how does he see the makeup of this committee? How does he see it working? I think more importantly, I would like his views on whether he sees this new committee undermining P.P.C. (Privileges and Procedures Committee) who generally in the past have been charged with bringing forward electoral changes.
Senator I.J. Gorst :
Like many members of the public I think I am getting a bit frustrated with the constant conversation about electoral reform, but once I get over that frustration I recognise that there is a very serious issue which this Assembly needs to address. I proposed what I did in my vision statement not to undermine P.P.C. but to support and work alongside P.P.C. and the work that they are going to need to do over the next 3½ years. I believe that if we are going to deliver reform - and I think it is important that we do - that we are going to need to see the Executive and P.P.C. working together. I proposed the Grand Reform Committee to act as a stimulus to that. I will of course in very early order sit down with whoever this Assembly proposes as the chairman of P.P.C. and find a way forward so that we can work together to deliver that reform. But I believe fundamentally it has to be a joint approach. The Executive cannot sit back and just let P.P.C. struggle with this issue. We have to take responsibility and do it together.
Can I just have a short follow up? What timeframe does the Chief Minister put on changes to our electoral system?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
One thing I learnt over the last 3 years is that one has less time than one thinks. In the American system I think they say you have something like 100 days as President to get things done and then everybody moves into mid-term elections. I found that in our system, with the best will in the world to my colleagues, most Members have been on an electoral footing now for about 12 months. Therefore, we have probably about 12 months to work out what we want to do and we have the next 12 months to then deliver because that will then leave us clear of the electoral cycle kicking back in a year and a half down the line from that.
Following on from Deputy Rondel's question, which I think was more focused at social housing and rental sector, I would like to know what the Chief Minister designate thinks about home ownership in the Island. Currently it is one of the lowest in Europe so what initiatives will he bring forward to support people wishing to buy their own homes? Home ownership is a great aspiration. It is not only good for families but it is also great for the economy. What initiatives would he bring forward to encourage home ownership?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
It is an excellent question and I think what we need to do is expand and carry on the work that we have already done. As I said, the Deposit Loan Scheme, I see no reason why we cannot expand that. That was a fantastic scheme that was not given much media coverage but 50 families today are in homes that they would not have been in without that particular scheme. We also saw the Parish of Trinity delivering a type of shared equity.
[12:45]
They, as it were, pulled themselves up, got legal advice, got some funding from Treasury and there we are. Any Member that has not been up to see those houses at Trinity I recommend that they do. Of course now they are occupied, so slightly more difficult. But they are excellent all-of-life houses. Those houses will be suitable for families moving into them for the rest of their lives and that is what we should aspire to and that is what I believe that Treasury, during the next 3½ years, will continue to work with Parishes as well as housing providers to do that. We have also got the development on Ann Court, which we need to get on with.
The last Assembly agreed unanimously to introduce and identify where political accountability for the justice system lies. Notwithstanding the work of the Justice Advisory Panel, I wondered if the Chief Minister designate would share with the Assembly what he plans to do with justice in the future? Perhaps now there is a Police Authority he may consider putting it to Home Affairs in the fullness of time given that I believe justice, like other important areas, the Island needs its own political identity clearly defined.
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I have no plans to change where justice currently sits within the Chief Minister's Department. I will be proposing another heavyweight Assistant Chief Minister to continue the work that he already started in that particular area, and I think there is an argument, having considered it carefully, to say that it is something that should fall squarely within the remit of the Chief Minister because he gives it due importance and hopefully it ensures appropriate continued separation between Legislature, Executive and Judicial.
In the interests of openness, transparency and accountability, will the Chief Minister explain whether any person he appoints as an Assistant or Deputy Chief Minister with special responsibilities for a given area rather than a department will be directly accountable to the States in his or her own right and answer questions to Members during Members question time? How will they be held accountable by this Assembly?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
In the same way that other Assistant Ministers and Ministers are. The changes that I have talked about in some areas will immediately be fulfilled by an Assistant Minister but I will be lodging the legislation to create the new Ministerial office and they will be held to account in exactly the same way.
If I could I would like to return to the issue of housing, which is fairly central, and ask the Minister what figures he has for the net improvement of the social rental houses, building new houses as against demolition, and sales; and what figures does he have for either the short term of 4 years that he is going to preside over these targets or 10 years or 20 years. What will the net gain in social and rental housing be according to his plan?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I do not have those figures with me. That will be the work for the new Strategic Housing Unit, but I think the number of questions that Members have asked on this particular issue shows just how important it is to all of our future's wellbeing.
Important to get the answers as well. Will he instruct the new Minister for Housing to come forward with those figures: short, medium and long term?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I see no problem with that. I think it is an important part of setting the direction and setting targets that Ministers can be judged upon.
If I could congratulate the Chief Minister for keeping a straight face during the delivery of his speech, in particular when it came to talk about treating people fairly and discrimination. Could the Chief Minister explain how, as a supporter of the least fair options that were designed in the referendum, what plans he has to bring forward to make sure that St. Helier residents and people throughout the Island in fact are treated fairly and without discrimination when it comes to their electoral franchises? Similarly, whether he still supports fairness and a lack of discrimination when it comes to wealthy imports to the Island who are allowed to pay less tax than local wealthy or even local ..
The Bailiff :
I think that is 2 completely separate issues, Deputy . So you will have to confine yourself to the first question.
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I would rather the second, if I may. [Laughter] The Bailiff :
The first one I am afraid.
Senator I.J. Gorst :
The Deputy 's question is an important question and it is questions like that, that led me to propose what I did in my vision statement. If we all simply say: "This is my preconceived solution and this is the only thing I am going to accept" we will continue to fail our community. But if we start from the premise that we want to try and make the system as fair as possible, and I hope that is what the Deputy was indicating in his question, then we are going to have to find ways of dealing with the
recent referendum decision. I think that has to be the starting block of any reform into the future, and from that we then look at how we can deliver the issue of fairness. It is not going to be easy. It would not be right for me to now suggest what I think the answer is going to be because that is where we have been in the past and that is why we failed. We are going to have to work together. We are going to have to - yes, it is not a pleasant word - compromise and we are going to have to build consensus if we are serious about delivering a solution.
Supplementary in that case. We are fully aware of the need for compromise. Does the Chief Minister not realise that the answer is already staring us in the face with the previous interim recommendations that were put forward by the then Privileges and Procedures Committee less than 2 years ago? We know there will be no change in the 3 categories of States Members therefore the only option is to redistribute Deputies, taking into account Constables as Parish representatives and that can achieve a near as possible solution for all of the Island so that we can move forward. If he does accept that will he appoint someone as P.P.C. chairman to deliver those very modest but necessary changes to our system.
Senator I.J. Gorst :
If only I had the power to appoint somebody as P.P.C. chairman. The Deputy makes some very good points there. He might have the making of a solution but I do not want to say at this point what I think the solution is other than that which I have already said, which is the decision of the referendum has to be the building block upon which we now move forward and build a solution, and fairness has to be right at the centre of what we try and deliver in the next year or so.
My question follows on from that of Deputy Tadier and also the points that I think were implicit behind the question of Senator Ozouf . Does the Chief Minister accept that the lack of fair representation for St. Helier in this Assembly is one of the reasons we need a new fair deal for St. Helier and, as an act of solidarity in spirit with this idea of a new fair deal for St. Helier , will he join the St. Helier representatives in opposing the development that has been proposed for Gas Place? Will he pledge to support more open green space in St. Helier to improve the quality of living for residents in that area?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I am not sure what ..
The Bailiff :
Open spaces in Gas Place, I think. Senator I.J. Gorst :
The development of town has to take into consideration and has to be driven by the Parish and the officials and not just delivered from on high at South Hill, as it were. We have to work together, and I think one of the issues with the Gas Place site was that the Parish did not feel that it had been properly consulted. It did not feel that the decision process was a fair one, where they had had their say and they felt that it was being rushed through. That is not good for anybody. We have to, as I say, continue to allow the Parish to be much more masters of their own destiny in these particular areas, and therefore I think that the 150-day deal is going to be an important one.
I do not really want to go back to States reform but during the debate on my proposition calling for an elected speaker of the States, the Chief Minister said he would be coming back to the recommendations of the Carswell Review next year, and is that still his intention?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
I am a strong believer in the separation of powers and I have said that when I have been questioned on the election trail. I think I am probably elected despite the comments that I made in that particular regard because equally I fully respect the Bailiff 's role as civic head of our community and I got a strong sense from members of the electorate that they held that element of your role, Sir, in extremely high regard and would not want to see that diminished. Therefore, I am left with the position of believing that what we need to do is to start a conversation with our community about how we deliver the separation of powers and yet how, at the same time, we respect the historic role that you currently enjoy, Sir.
The Bailiff :
The final question, I think, from Deputy Hilton.
Deputy Doublet asked a very similar question to the one I was going to ask but I have a follow-on question. The protection of children must be of the highest priority. As far as I am aware there is not a law in place which makes it an offence not to report child abuse. How much priority will the Chief Minister place on strengthening our legislation to protect children?
Senator I.J. Gorst :
It is a priority. We need to make sure that the service that we are providing protects and supports children right across our community, and I do not mind being questioned by the Deputy in this regard because I believe that she has played a very important role in her work on Scrutiny in the previous Assembly in seeing some changes in social services, which I believe are going to see important and yet exciting changes in that particular area. So it will continue to be an important priority for me and I believe for whoever is the next Minister for Health and Social Services.
That brings questions to the Chief Minister to an end, and indeed it brings the business of this sitting of this Assembly to an end. The Chief Minister, as he said, will be putting forward his nominations for Ministers, and the Assembly will reconvene on Thursday and I think Friday, in order to elect Ministers and the chairmen of the various panels and Scrutiny Panels. The Assembly will reconvene 9.30 a.m. on Thursday.
STATEMENT MADE BY SENATOR IAN JOSEPH GORST
INTRODUCTION
In November 2011 when I asked for Members' trust as Chief Minister, I set out the key areas for reform that I saw as essential to build a successful and cohesive community at the heart of Island life:
- Education and training;
- Economic growth and the availability of jobs;
- Provision of affordable homes;
- Enjoyment of good health and;
- Access to a secure retirement.
These priorities all remain as important now as they were three years ago.
Whilst the last Council has made significant progress in these areas, the new Council needs to take these to the next stage. The backdrop of continuing worldwide economic uncertainty remains. The competing demand for enhanced public services needs to be balanced against the limited resources available. Service improvements need to be funded by a co-ordination of efficiencies, savings and economic growth.
DELIVERING JOBS
Whilst it is encouraging that the number of unemployed Islanders has fallen, there are still too many who face the challenges of life without paid employment.
I intend to continue and further strengthen the strategies we have put in place to help people into work.
The Back to Work programme targets those most in need of assistance. We will further add to its effectiveness in providing sustainable job opportunities for locally qualified Islanders by including within its ambit the co-ordination of all government employment schemes, the development of targeted schemes to support locally qualified jobseekers, and the building of partnerships with employers.
I will continue with the financial initiatives put in place to encourage employers to take on the long- term unemployed – the employment grant, Community Jobs Fund and the Youth Incentive have all played their part in moving jobseekers of different ages and skills back into the workplace.
By continuing to listen to and engage with employers and utilising initiatives such as job match, job club and job fest more jobseekers, particularly young people, should be work-ready' with the skills and attitude to work that will make them valued and permanent recruits.
Considered and targeted training schemes for areas of the economy where demand is picking up – construction and the care sector come to mind – will be key in filling these jobs with those with at least five years' residence in the Island.
Of course, there will be some in our community who despite the States' best endeavours, are still reluctant to take up the opportunities on offer and, instead of accepting a hand up', are still tempted by the notion of a hand out' I will keep under review the effectiveness of changes already made that have created immediate financial penalties for the minority of benefit claimants who seek to avoid their responsibilities.
In contrast, increasing the earnings disregard for Income Support claimants has incentivised those willing to work and it must be right that this too is kept under review and further increased if possible.
SECURING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND A STRONG RECOVERY
Key to reducing the number of Islanders out of work is a successful economic growth strategy to deliver new jobs. We now have the building blocks in place to encourage innovation, attract quality businesses and maximise local enterprise.
The Jersey Innovation Fund, Enterprise Action Plan and the Financial Services Policy Framework now need to be developed further to create the promised employment opportunities – but this will not be easy.
Enterprise
We are competing with other jurisdictions hungrier for growth from all over the globe. The world of the future is a more competitive one and it is vital Jersey competes effectively in this global challenge for sustainable growth. It is a challenge we cannot afford to lose. We must ensure that our legislation maintains our competitiveness.
Small Business Exemptions
In order to remain aligned to our competitors I will propose pilot exemptions to the Employment Law for small business starting with an extension to the qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims.
We must also ensure that self-employed Social Security contributions are reformed for low earning individuals, encouraging new business start-ups.
Financial Services
We must continue our support for the financial services sector ensuring that existing markets and products are protected, whilst also promoting our services to new markets and developing new products, refining the fund offering, promoting philanthropy and other areas.
The new Tri-partite Partnership with the Government, Industries and the Commission must be maintained.
In addition, the new Memorandum of Understanding with the Jersey Financial Services Commission will underpin this vital relationship.
I will also progress the creation of a new overarching Monetary Authority. The Digital Opportunity
Technology is and will continue to change all of our lives. Jersey needs not only to respond but to lead in this sector and I propose that this is championed with a new Ministerial focus seizing the opportunities that currently exist for new growth. The development of Digital Jersey and continued investment in Jersey Business will also help to promote new technologies and expansion into niche areas such as Fintech and Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
Promoting Jersey overseas
The Island will need to continue to raise its international profile, keep and enhance its good reputation and to comply with relevant international standards. Through positive engagement and co-operation, we now have good working relationships with both of our near neighbours. This is not by chance but by acting confidently and dealing with problems when they arise.
All members have a responsibility to promote Jersey internationally, accurately reflecting our economy, our culture and our heritage.
Tourism
I fully support a new tourism Strategy with bold and deliverable targets. The new Visit Jersey body has the opportunity to innovate, raise the profile of the Island and promote Jersey as a year-round event-based tourism destination. I will strongly support event led Tourism with a focus on sport Tourism.
There is no better opportunity to continue the 2014 success with a focus on Tourism in 2015 with the Liberation 70 and 2015 Island Games.
Agriculture and Fisheries
Agriculture and fisheries are important sectors past, present and future. Our farmers have a vital role as custodians of the countryside, saving government money by services such as branchage and keeping Jersey looking beautiful. I will ensure that the financial support government provides is used in a way that supports those in the industry. The new rural economy strategy will be an important milestone, which will have my full support.
EDUCATION
To make sure that our school leavers are best placed to fill the job opportunities that arise, I will be continuing efforts to raise academic standards and vocational opportunities in our schools and colleges. The new Council of Ministers will need to spend considerable time supporting Education. We need to be certain that all our young people are given the best opportunity to reach their full potential.
The Trackers Apprentice Programme is a prime example of the initiatives that must be supported to align training more closely with the available job opportunities. We need to attract our brightest students back to the Island with opportunities in the civil service and a diversified private sector - these are our future leaders with a greater commitment to and understanding of our community.
Partnership with teachers
The recently signed partnership agreement is a positive step forward enabling teachers to be an integral part of education reform.
1001 Days
I support the signing up to the 1001 days programme'. We must remember that early intervention and investment in early years is one of the greatest investments in its future any community can make.
PROMOTING A VIBRANT AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
As Chief Minister I see it as my duty to help create a community where everyone feels valued, is treated fairly, is adequately housed and cared for.
Housing
On an Island such as ours, it is not surprising that we continue to face challenges associated with the supply and affordability of homes. I will be continuing efforts to support first-time buyers, with £250M available for investment in new affordable homes for Islanders. I will support the increase of supply of all forms of tenures. We need to get building, and I'm pleased that building on brownfield sites is now happening. We must continue to work with the construction sector to deal with supply of labour issues.
The wholly States-owned Andium Homes continues its development programme, which aims to generate additional affordable homes for rental and at the same time to refurbish the existing housing stock.
The establishment of the Strategic Housing Unit in the Chief Minister's Department means that housing policy and strategy is fully integrated with the coordinated delivery of social policy and other related plans which impact on housing requirements. I will be closely monitoring the new Residential Tenancy Law which sets out a long-awaited modern framework of rights and responsibilities for both tenants and landlords.
Disabled Services
At the moment the Island's approach to the provision of services for those with a disability is piecemeal. It is essential that all Islanders are afforded an opportunity to participate in Island life. To do this we must adopt a strategy that sets out a cohesive approach to disability.
Discrimination
Ensuring that all members of our community are treated fairly and not subject to discrimination is essential to community well-being. I will continue to support the development of the discrimination law with protection against race discrimination likely to be followed by sex, age and disability legislation. Public consultation will be undertaken at each stage and the phased approach recognises the need to ensure that employers have sufficient time to make any necessary preparations.
HEALTH
Continued access to high-quality healthcare is a pre-requisite for Islanders. We will continue to support Health's plans to redesign services, the focus being on the patient and their best long-term health outcomes, with greater emphasis on community-based support and increased provision for home care services. In addition, rapid response teams will keep hospital stays to a minimum.
Mental health has for too long not received the attention it deserves. I will be supporting plans to update the Mental Health Law and to radically improve the support available for those suffering from mental health issues.
Any mention of health care would be incomplete without mention of the need for the new hospital. I am committed to moving forward with the plans to deliver the new hospital – be it a single or dual site solution. We need to get on with this and I intend to make achieving progress on this one of my top priorities.
REFORMING AND MODERNISING THE PUBLIC SERVICE
Initiatives underway to reform the public service must continue. The vision of e-government needs to become a reality delivering enhanced customer service and easier interaction with States departments. Workforce modernisation continues with a new reward structure underpinned by a new job evaluation scheme currently in development. I am committed to working with the trade union representatives to secure the changes required, while retaining a motivated and dedicated workforce.
We have to continue to change our public service culture. Bureaucracy saps the spirit of the people and the community. By allowing staff to be creative and reviewing the various processes we can improve efficiency and productivity across each department. We must continue to cut and control costs, balancing income and expenditure, following the best independent economic advice provided by the Fiscal Policy Panel.
My experience is that our public servants work incredibly hard with commitment and dedication but with limited resources we need to review whether we are asking them to do the right things.
As part of the redesign of the public sector we must continually work to ensure that departments work in a co-ordinated manner, moving functions as necessary to best serve Islanders. This can achieve increased effectiveness, efficiency and consequent cost savings.
ST HELIER
A priority of the new Council of Ministers should be to restructure the relationship between the States and the Parish of St Helier. There are efficiencies to be achieved, better decision making and a fairer deal for Parishioners.
STRATEGIC PLAN AND MEDIUM TERM FINANCIAL PLAN
A priority of the next Council of Ministers would be to submit to the States Assembly a new Strategic Plan and a new Medium Term Financial Plan 2016-2019.
I have explained some of my priorities for the new Strategic Plan. In terms of the MTFP this needs to retain our fiscal prudence, deliver the investment required by savings, productivity and efficiency improvements together with economic growth – all under the advice of our economic and financial advisers.
STATES REFORM
The electorate has spoken in the referendum to support the retention of the Constables in the States Assembly. The referendum result demonstrates, amongst other things, the importance of our Parish honorary system which I fully recognise and support. I also propose that the necessary law change be brought for debate as soon as possible. I also propose the creation of a "Reform Grand Committee" constituted of Members of the States to carry reform forward. This will be a difficult but necessary process of consultation and consensus building.
I am determined to build the trust of the Public in not only the government of Jersey but also the States of Jersey Assembly.
FULFILLIING MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS CHIEF MINISTER
When I stood for election three years ago I stated that it would be an honour and a privilege to serve as Chief Minister. In recent weeks I said it would be an honour and a privilege to serve the community of the Island in this capacity once again.
In my three years as Chief Minister I have sought to demonstrate effective leadership and balanced judgement. At the core of every decision I have made is the desire to act in the best interests of our Island community and this will continue to be my priority if you choose to elect me for another term. I would continue to act with the honesty and integrity that I have demonstrated during my career in the States Assembly.
I have a track record that shows I have a can do' attitude and that I am not afraid of making difficult and potentially unpopular decisions. I have sought to make the right decisions by combining strong leadership with a consensual approach, which starts with a willingness to consider contrary views and to engage with those with whom I may not always agree.
In making decisions, I strive to take people with me, based on proposals that are sensible, balanced and thoroughly researched. Equally, however, decisions need to be made in a timely manner. It is not an answer to constantly defer.
As Chief Minister I have exhibited a readiness to listen to informed views – whether at the Council of Ministers, at Scrutiny Panels or in the course of debates or questions in the Assembly.
Lively debate and close questioning from Scrutiny are key to the development of successful policy initiatives and, if elected, I will be expecting more than ever to face constructive challenges to proposals put forward by the Council of Ministers. I encourage colleagues to get involved in the Scrutiny process, recognising its key role as a check and balance on the activities of the Council of Ministers. The Island will be better for it. The electorate has little appetite for entrenched views and personalised and introspective debates.
Looking around us, Jersey has strong foundations and is in a good place, but we remain a small island in a challenging world; all of us need to work together to secure our future well-being - Islanders expect no less.