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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHAIRMAN FOR THE PRIVILEGES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE
BY DEPUTY J.M. MAON OF ST. SAVIOUR
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 1st DECEMBER 2015
Question
Would the Committee please explain what action, if any, it is taking in order to engage the public by giving tours of the States Assembly and developing a better understanding in the adult population of the work of the States, including what impediments, if any, there are to this and how the Committee will overcome those?
Answer
As the Assembly is aware, staff at the States Greffe already run a very successful initiative involving local schoolchildren who visit the Chamber every Monday throughout the school year. There are also visits arranged on an ad hoc basis for secondary schools as well as students from Highlands College. At present adults wishing to undertake a tour of the Chamber as part of a club or interest group can do so by prior arrangement with the Greffier and his staff.
Consideration has been given to increasing the public's access to the States building but it is not as simple as it appears. It is an operational building and also houses the Bailiff 's Chambers and Judicial Greffe. The needs of the Courts have to be considered and unlike other Assemblies, where the operational areas are quite discreet, there is very little opportunity to segregate the public away from working areas. Furthermore there has been an increased use of the States Chamber as an additional Court facility and it is currently necessary for the Greffe to make arrangements with the Bailiff 's Judicial Secretary in advance in order to ensure access to the Chamber outside of the States meeting or Year 5 visits calendar. It would pose practical problems for the Judiciary if the Chamber was reserved on a regular basis during the working week specifically for tours. Under the present security guidelines, the Greffier is obliged to have an Usher present for any visit which takes place after office hours and to meet the associated overtime cost.
The Privileges and Procedures Committee is very keen to look at ways in which it can improve engagement with the public within its current budget and is certain that the introduction of web cam broadcasts early in 2016 will improve the public's understanding of the work undertaken by the States Assembly on their behalf. In addition a film allowing for a virtual' tour of the Chamber will soon be completed and uploaded to the statesassembly.je. website.