Ministerial roles - timeline
Overview
This Briefing Paper provides background information on Ministerial roles in Jersey since the advent of Ministerial Government in 2005. It includes a timeline of new and changed role titles.
Background
The structure of Ministerial Government was established in Jersey in 2005 by the States of Jersey Law 2005. Part 4 (Articles 18-32) of the Law sets out rules around the selection and appointment, term of office and dismissal, resignation, numbers, status, powers, and delegations of Ministers in Jersey.
The States of Jersey (Transfer of Functions from Committees to Ministers) (Jersey) Regulations 2005 (jerseylaw.je), made in pursuance of Article 49 of the States of Jersey Law 2005, set out which Ministers were responsible for functions previously carried out by Committees. The Ministerial roles that appeared in these regulations were:
- Chief Minister
- Minister for Treasury and Resources
- Minister for Economic Development
- Minister for Health and Social Services
- Minister for Education, Sport and Culture
- Minister for Home Affairs
- Minister for Social Security
- Minister for Housing
- Minister for Planning and Environment
- Minister for Transport and Technical Services
Establishing, disestablishing, changing the titles or functions of ministers is the responsibility of the Chief Minister and is carried out via a Regulation or Order as set out in the Article 29A(1) of the States of Jersey Law 2005:
Powers relating to changes to Ministerial offices
(1) The Chief Minister may by Order do any of the following –
(a) establish and abolish Ministers;
(b) determine the name by which an existing Minister is described;
(c) make provision relating to a Minister's functions (including their transfer from one Minister to another).
Before an Order or Regulation can be made two conditions must be met as set out in Article 29A(3):
(3) An Order under paragraph (1) may not be made unless –
(a) the Chief Minister has presented to the States a report describing the provision to be made by the Order; and
(b) the period of 14 days, beginning with the day on which that report is presented, has expired.
The titles of Ministerial Offices did not change until 2013, when the External Relations Ministerial office was established. Since then, further changes have been made to Ministerial titles as set out in the timeline below. When a Ministerial title changes, often the functions of that Minister also change and this information appears in the relevant Regulation or Order. The dates in the timeline indicate when each Regulation or Order came into force.
Timeline
Ministerial Office Holders
Following a General Election a new Council of Ministers (CoM) is established, beginning with the nomination and selection of a Chief Minister. Those Members who wish to stand for the role of Chief Minister must submit the following (in accordance with Standing Order 115):
- a nomination in writing signed by at least 6 elected members.
- a statement setting out the candidate's vision for strategic policy and the way he/she intends to discharge their responsibilities as Chief Minister.
This must be submitted by 5 pm, 5 clear working days before the day of the meeting during which the selection of Chief Minister is to be made.
All Chief Minister candidates must give a 10-minute speech and answer questions from Members of the Assembly for 1 hour. An Assembly vote is then taken and the candidate who receives more than half the votes is selected as Chief Minister designate.
The Chief Minister designate then delivers a declaration to the Greffier listing his/her nominees and the Ministerial office to which they are assigned. This declaration must be delivered no later than 9.30 a.m. on the last working day before the day on which the meeting to select the Minister begins (in accordance with Standing Order 117(2) and (2A)). When each Ministerial Office appointment is considered by the States Assembly the Chief Minister designate makes his/her nomination and then other Members can nominate alternative candidates.
Each Ministerial Office candidate must give a 10-minutes speech and answer questions from Members of the Assembly for 20 minutes. An Assembly vote is then taken and the candidate who receives more than half the votes is selected as Minister. If there is only one candidate, they still must speak and answer questions but are then automatically selected as Minister.
The Chief Minister and Council of Ministers officially take power when the final Minister has been selected.
To learn more about the about States Assembly appointments please read the Briefing Paper: States Assembly appointments after an Election.
