States Minutes 13th March 1984

THE STATES assembled on Tuesday, 13th March, 1984 at 10.15 a.m. under the Presidency of the Bailiff , Sir Frank Ereaut.

_____

All members were present with the exception of –

Senator Anne Baal – out of the Island.

Senator John Stephen Rothwell – out of the Island.

_____

Prayers. _____

Visit of the Home Secretary – photographs.

The Bailiff informed the House that the Jersey Evening Post had requested permission to take still photographs at the Special Sitting  to  welcome  The  Right  Honourable  Leon  Brittan,  Q.C., M.P., Secretary of State for Home Affairs on Wednesday, 25th April, 1984.

THE STATES acceded to the request. Subordinate legislation tabled.

The  following  enactments  were  laid  before  the  States, namely –

1. Road  Racing  (Motor  Vehicle  Sprints)  (Jersey) Order, 1984. R & O 7263.
2. Public  Rank  Taxis  (Fares  and  Charges)  (Jersey) Order, 1984. R & O 7264.
3. Employment  Agencies  (Registration)  (Amendment No. 2) (Jersey) Order, 1984. R & O 7265.
4. Road Traffic (Saint Lawrence) (Jersey) Order, 1984. R & O 7266.

79   Price : 50p.

Contingencies vote of credit – Finance and Economics Committee.

THE STATES noted an Act of the Finance and Economics Committee dated 7th March, 1984, informing the House that it had made available out of its Contingencies vote of credit the sum of £8,000 for the purchase of additional furniture, photocopier and heaters and to cover the removal expenses of the Judicial Greffe to No. 10 Hill Street, St. Helier .

Social Security Report and Statement of Accounts 1983.

The Social Security Committee by Act dated 12th January, 1984, presented to the States its Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ended 30th September, 1983.

THE STATES ordered that the said Report and Statement of Accounts be printed and distributed.

Public Lotteries Report 1983. R.C.9.

The Gambling Control Committee by Act dated 6th March, 1984, presented to the States its Report on Public Lotteries promoted and conducted during 1983.

THE STATES ordered that the said Report be printed and distributed.

Regulation of Undertakings and Development: Report for 1983. R.C.10.

The Finance and Economics Committee by Act dated 7th March, 1984, presented to the States its Report for 1983 on the Regulation of Undertakings and Development.

THE STATES ordered that the said Report be printed and distributed.

Dwelling Houses Loan Fund Statement 1983. R.C.11.

The Housing Committee by Act dated 2nd March, 1984, presented to the States a Statement showing the financial position of the Dwelling Houses Loan Fund as at 31st December, 1983.

THE STATES ordered that the said Statement be printed and distributed.

Matters noted – land transactions.

THE STATES noted an Act of the Finance and Economics Committee dated 7th March, 1984, showing that in pursuance of Standing Orders relating to certain transactions in land, the Committee had approved –

1. as recommended by the Harbours and Airport Committee, the renewal of the lease to the Jersey Sub-Aqua Club of a Club Room at La Folie, St. Helier , for a further term of three years, with effect from 1st January, 1984, at an annual rent of £500;
2. as recommended by the Housing Committee the renewal of the lease from Mrs. Nancy de Wolfe Arthur, née Miller, of 40 Nomond Avenue, La Pouquelaye, St. Helier , required for temporary housing for essential employees, for a period of three years, with effect from 1st April, 1984, at an annual rent of £3,540.

Matter lodged.

The following subject was lodged "au Greffe" –

Film and sound recording of States Meeting. P.27/84. Presented by Senator Richard Joseph Shenton. The States decided to take this subject into consideration on 27th March, 1984.

Review of Economic Policies. P.26/84.

The Policy Advisory Committee by Act dated 9th March, 1984, presented to the States the Review of Economic Policies.

THE STATES decided to discuss the Report in a Committee of the Whole House on 1st May, 1984.

Queen's Road/Rouge Bouillon junction: improvements. P.13/84.

THE STATES rejected the request of Senator Jane Patricia Sandeman that the Proposition regarding improvements to the Queen's Road/Rouge Bouillon junction (lodged on 7th February, 1984) be considered on 27th March, 1984.

Rezoning of land in Grouville for residential development. P.96/83.

THE STATES acceded to the request of the President of the Island Development Committee that the Proposition regarding the rezoning of land in Grouville for residential development (lodged on 21st June, 1983) be considered on 27th March, 1984.

Traces of plutonium in Channel Island waters. Questions and answers.

Deputy Norman Stuart Le Brocq of St. Helier asked Senator John William Ellis, President of the Defence Committee, the following questions –

"1. Can the President confirm the statement made in the

Guernsey States a few weeks ago that the sampling recently carried out has shown traces of plutonium in Channel Island waters?

2.  Is this presence of plutonium the result of discharge from the nuclear waste reprocessing plant at Cap de la Hague?"

The President of the Defence Committee replied as follows –

"1. Yes.

2.  The presence of plutonium may be attributed to discharges from the Nuclear Waste Reprocessing Plant at Cap de la Hague. I would stress, however, that the concentration present is of negligible radiological significance. This information is

contained in the Aquatic Environment Monitoring Reports entitled Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters of the British Isles' – published annually by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Directorate of Fisheries Research. These reports are available to the Public, the most recent giving the results for 1981 being published last year.

The Ministry has monitored the position for a number of years and has always found the radiological significance to the Channel Islands, of discharges from the plant at Cap de la Hague, to be negligible."

Tourism Committee Easter Parade Float. Question and answer.

Deputy Sir Martin Le Quesne of St. Saviour asked Deputy John Philip Farley of St. Helier , acting on behalf of the Tourism Committee, the following question –

"Will the President give the House the total estimated cost of mounting the Tourism Committee's float in the forthcoming Easter Parade in Battersea Park?"

Deputy Farley replied as follows –

"The cost of the float at the London Easter Parade in Battersea Park is estimated at approximately £9,000.

The cost includes the cost of construction and the cost of the  flowers;  the  cost  of  the  Sealink  container  used in transporting the float to and from the United Kingdom; all transport and accommodation costs of the voluntary workers who assist in the decoration of the float, as well as the cost of photography and of the prize awarded to competition winners.

For the purposes of comparison, a half page advertisement in colour in the Sunday Express Colour Supplement would incur similar costs.

It will readily be appreciated that, but for the voluntary help, the cost would greatly exceed £9,000, more especially as the work in London has to be undertaken during the Easter Holidays. Those involved are all experts in the art of decorating floats and work has already started on the construction of the float.

The Easter Parade in London attracts nearly ¼ million spectators and is widely publicised in the media.

This year is the twenty-fourth consecutive occasion that the Committee will have been represented with a float in the Easter Parade, and on the last five occasions, the Committee's float has been accorded pride of place at the head of the Parade, as it will again this Easter."

Agriculture and Fisheries Committee Easter Parade Float. Question and answer.

Deputy  Sir  Martin  Le Quesne  of St. Saviour asked Senator Richard Joseph Shenton, President of the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee, the following question –

"Will the President give the House the total estimated cost of mounting the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee's float in the forthcoming Easter Parade in Battersea Park?"

The President of the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee replied as follows –

"My Committee has allocated £5,000 in its 1984 advertising budget to mount a float in the Easter Parade in Battersea Park."

La Moye School improvements.

THE STATES commenced consideration of a Proposition of the Education Committee regarding improvements to La Moye School. After discussion, and on the proposition of Senator Richard Joseph Shenton, the Proposition was lodged "au Greffe". The States decided to take this subject into consideration on 27th March, 1984.

Act with regard to the provision of expenses for elected Members of the States.

WHEREAS it is desirable to reimburse elected members of the States for expenses such as telephone, postage and transport, incurred in consequence of States membership;

THE STATES have resolved as follows –

1. The Treasurer of the States shall pay to each Senator,

Connétable and Deputy the sum of four hundred and fifty pounds in respect of personal expenses for each full calendar year, the said sum to be payable by quarterly instalments in advance.

2. The Act, dated 18th May, 1982 with regard to the

provision of expenses for elected members of the States, is hereby rescinded.

3. This Act shall be deemed to have come into force on the

first day of January, 1984.

Architects (Registration) (Amendment) (Jersey) Law, 1984.

THE STATES, subject to the sanction of Her Most Excellent Majesty in Council, adopted a Law entitled the Architects (Registration) (Amendment) (Jersey) Law, 1984.

Hague Convention on Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Legislation Committee, agreed that the Island should make a reservation in respect of Article 23 (pre-trial discovery of documents) of the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters.

Service of Process and Taking of Evidence (Amendment) (Jersey) Law, 1984.

THE STATES, subject to the sanction of Her Most Excellent Majesty in Council, adopted a Law entitled the Service of Process and Taking of Evidence (Amendment) (Jersey) Law, 1984.

Boats and Surf-Riding (Control) (Amendment No. 4) (Jersey) Regulations, 1984.

THE STATES, in exercise of the powers conferred upon them by the Order in Council of the twenty-sixth day of December, 1851, Article 49 of the Road Traffic (Jersey) Law, 1956, as amended, and Article 4 of the Harbours (Administration) (Jersey) Law, 1961, made Regulations entitled the Boats and Surf-Riding (Control) (Amendment No. 4) (Jersey) Regulations, 1984.

Island Development Committee – soil and land classification map: deferred supply.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Finance and Economics Committee, acceded to its request for the following Supplementary vote of credit to be voted out of the General Reserve –

Island Development Committee soil

and land classification map (C0925) £7,000.

Members present voted as follows –

"Pour" (26)

Senators

Vibert , Le Marquand, Binnington, Sandeman. Connétable s

St. Ouen , St. Saviour , St. Brelade , St. Peter , St. Helier .

Deputies

Mourant(H), Morel (S), Perkins(C), Le Gallais(S), Le Brocq(H), Le Quesne(S), St. Martin , St. Peter , Farley(H), Le Fondré(L), Rumboll(H), Buesnel(H), Grouville , St. Mary , Beadle(B), Wavell(H), Billot(S).

"Contre" (17)

Senator

Jeune . Connétable s

St. Mary , Grouville , St. John , Trinity , St. Martin , St. Clement .

Deputies

St. Ouen , Quenault(B), Roche(S), Trinity , Filleul(H), Vandervliet(L), Thorne (B), Blampied(H), Norman(C), St. John .

Insurance Business (Amendment) (Jersey) Law, 1984.

THE STATES, subject to the sanction of Her Most Excellent Majesty in Council, adopted a Law entitled the Insurance Business (Amendment) (Jersey) Law, 1984.

THE STATES rose at 3.35 p.m.

E.J.M. POTTER, Greffier of the States.