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WQ.307/2019
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
BY DEPUTY J.M. MAÇON OF ST. SAVIOUR
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 16th JULY 2019
Question
Will the Minister advise on the estimated timeline for the consultation to be undertaken follow the adoption of Cats: additional protection when involved in road traffic accidents' (P.30/2019)?
Answer
The Deputy noted in his proposition that "The direct financial implications of this proposition relate to the consultation process proposed, which can be absorbed from departmental budgets. However, if it is decided to amend legislation, then it is likely that there will be a number of resource implications for the Police and Parishes, as well as a potential cost to the Public if a cat licensing system is introduced".
The Proposition did not provide or allow for any resource to implement the States decision in the event it was successfully adopted, merely asserting without any prior consultation with the Department that it could absorbed from existing budgets, without any reference to staff time whatsoever. A result of this is that the work naturally has to be accommodated within other Departmental priorities.
As it was decided by the Proposition "to request the Ministers for Infrastructure and the Environment to consult on how cats could be given additional legal protection in the event of death or injury in a road traffic accident involving a motor vehicle, with the consultation to include consideration of the Road Traffic (Jersey) Law 1956, the Animal Welfare (Jersey) Law 2004 and other legislation as appropriate" [Emphasis added] it is inevitable that legislative options need to be properly examined.
However, I am pleased to advise that detailed scoping work has been commenced by officers from Transport in conjunction with representatives of the Environment Department (which incorporates the States Vet's office), the Sates Police and Law Drafting, to review the options available prior to any wider consultation.
While good progress has been made in the scoping, at this point during the development progress it is too early to be able to commit to a timeline, as there remains a number of unknowns to be resolved. Once the scope has been fully determined I would be happy to advise the Deputy of the estimated timeline for the consultation on Cats: additional protection when involved in road traffic accidents' (P.30/2019).