Presenting reports and making statements

How do I present a report?

Reports are published in the official ‘R’ series.

Any formal document can be presented to the States for information purposes. A matter presented to the States is noted by the Assembly but there is not a debate on the contents.

Reports can range from a consultation document designed to gauge the public’s views on a proposed change to an existing service, to an Annual Report of a body established by the States or by a body which receives States funding.

If a Minister wishes to present a report to the States then it can either be printed by a third party and delivered to the States Greffe for distribution, or printed by the States Greffe, which has its own print section and is able to reproduce documents for Departments at competitive rates. Any matter which is formally presented to the States by a Minister requires a Ministerial Decision to be uploaded onto the Livelink system. The Greffe require a minimum of 80 copies of the document to be delivered to the States Assembly Information Centre (Bookshop) so that copies can be circulated to all States Members and ex officio Members.

Making a statement in the Assembly

Members are able to make either personal statements or statements on a matter of official responsibility during a States meeting, subject to the approval of the Bailiff.

Personal statements

The member concerned needs to seek the leave of the Bailiff by 5pm on the day before the statement is to be made. Personal statements must relate to matters of a personal nature. The Bailiff may grant a person leave to make a statement during a meeting without the required notice if he is satisfied that it relates to an urgent matter of public importance.

There is no question period after a personal statement has been made.

Official statements

The member concerned needs to give notice to the Greffier by 5pm on the day before the statement is to be made. The Bailiff may grant a person leave to make a statement during a meeting without the required notice if he is satisfied that it relates to an urgent matter of public importance.

A chair of a committee or panel must get the approval of their committee or panel on the content of any statement they wish to make. Any matter which is formally presented to the States by a minister requires a Ministerial Decision.

There is a 15 minute question period after a statement has been made, during which time members may ask questions of the members who made the statement, regarding its contents, but it should not become the pretext of a debate. The period of questioning can be extended by a further 15 minutes, should the Assembly agree.