States Meeting Summary 29-31 March

31st March 2022

Question Time

Oral questions with notice

Non-executive States Members asked Ministers oral questions with notice for two hours and 20 minutes. See what questions were asked by skipping to page 11 of the Order Paper.

Oral questions without notice

After questions with notice, non-executive States Members asked the following Ministers questions without notice for 45 minutes (15 minutes each):

The Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Senator Lyndon Farnham
The Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Scott Wickenden
The Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré

Statements

The Minister for Social Security, Deputy Judy Martin, made a statement on access to free period products, followed by 15 minutes of questions from States Members. After lunch, the same Minister made a statement on inflationary pressures, followed by 30 minutes of questions from States Members.

Watch a recording of this morning's States Meeting.

Public Business

Use of tasers by States of Jersey Police

The Minister for Home Affairs proposed that the use of tasers by the States of Jersey Police, which was trialled for one year, should be authorised.

The Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel proposed an amendment to the Minister for Home Affairs' proposition: to authorise the permanent use of tasers subject to an extension of the trial period to a further 18 months, from 1 March 2022.

The States Assembly voted to REJECT the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel's amendment to the Minister for Home Affairs' proposition. 29 States Members voted against and 15 voted in favour.

The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister for Home Affairs' proposition. 35 Members voted in favour and eight voted against.

Law to embed children's rights in policy development and decision-making processes

The Minister for Children and Education proposed a draft Law which would require the States Assembly, Ministers, Government departments and civil society organisations to consider, when making decisions which may have a direct or indirect impact on a child, children's rights as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Minister proposed the Law as amended by the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel's first amendment, which asked for changes to Schedule 2 of the Law to be made through Regulations which are approved by the States Assembly, rather than by Ministerial Order.

The Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel proposed the second amendment to the Minister for Children and Education's proposition: to require Children's Rights Impact Assessments to be completed for amendments as well as propositions.

The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Children, Education and Home Affairs Panel's second amendment to the Minister's proposition. 25 States Members voted in favour and 18 voted against.

The Children, Education and Home Affairs Panel proposed a third amendment to the Minister for Children and Education's draft Law: to bring the Law into force by an Appointed Day Act, to be debated by the States Assembly, rather than by Ministerial Order.

The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Children, Education and Home Affairs Panel's third amendment to Minister's proposition. 25 Members voted in favour and 18 voted against.

The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister for Children and Education's proposition, as amended by the Children, Education and Home Affairs Panel. 41 Members voted in favour and two voted against.

Complaints about the conduct of police officers

The Minister for Home Affairs proposed to update legislation relating to complaints about the conduct of police officers, in line with current good practice in the British Isles.

The States Assembly unanimously voted to APPROVE the Minister for Home Affairs' proposition.

Updating references to criminal procedures ahead of the Legal Aid Guidelines

The Chief Minister proposed to update references to criminal procedures in the Access to Justice Law in time for 1 April when most of that Law and the new Legal Aid Guidelines will come into force.

The States Assembly unanimously voted to APPROVE the Chief Minister's proposition.

Changes to the Control of Housing and Work Law

The Assistant Chief Minister, the Deputy of St. Peter, proposed changes to the Control of Housing and Work Law. This primary legislation would enable secondary legislation to be made to give effect to Jersey's new population policies, including the requirement to remove the automatic graduation between statuses and allowing people to build up entitlement to residency.

The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the proposed changes to the Control of Housing and Work Law. 41 Members voted in favour and two voted against.

Appointment of members to the Rate Appeal Board

The Minister for Treasury and Resources proposed to re-appoint Miss Christine Vibert and appoint the following as new members of the Rate Appeal Board: Mr Scott Hollywood; Mr John Refault; Mr Barry le Beuvant; Mr Ron Treby; and Mr David le Heuze.

The States Assembly unanimously voted to APPROVE the Minister for Treasury and Resources' proposition.

Inclusion of Island Identity statement in propositions

The Minister for International Development proposed that each proposition brought forward for debate by a States Member includes a statement that explains how the proposition would either enhance or diminish the Island's identity and reputation.

The States Assembly voted to REJECT the Minister for International Development's proposition. 25 Members voted against and 17 voted in favour.

Maintenance of Jersey's credit rating

Deputy Kirsten Morel proposed that, except in emergency periods, the Minister for Treasury and Resources should ensure Jersey's credit rating remains at a level of BBB ("investment grade") or above and that the Government Plan includes a forecast of the likely effect of debt on future credit ratings.

The Minister for Treasury and Resources proposed an amendment to the proposition which was accepted by Deputy Morel: that the Council of Ministers should ensure Jersey's credit rating remains at BBB and future Government Plans should forecast the likely effect of new debt on Jersey's credit ratings.

The States Assembly unanimously voted to APPROVE the Minister's amendment and unanimously voted to APPROVE Deputy Morel's proposition, as amended.

Extension of Jersey Financial Services Commission supervisory powers to bank auditors

The Assistant Minister for External Relations and Financial Services proposed to amend the Banking Business Law in order to extend the supervisory powers of the Jersey Financial Services Commission to auditors of any bank, whether it be a "Jersey incorporated bank", a "Jersey branch" or an "overseas incorporated bank".

The States Assembly unanimously voted to APPROVE the Minister for External Relations and Financial Services' proposition.

Exclusivity clauses in zero-hours contracts

The Minister for Social Security proposed to amend the Employment Law to prohibit employers from requiring employees on zero-hours contracts to work exclusively for their business.

The States Assembly unanimously voted to APPROVE the Minister for Social Security's proposition.

Provision for the taxation of profits of limited liability companies

The Minister for External Relations and Financial Services proposed to amend the Income Tax Law to provide for the taxation of profits of limited liability companies (LLCs).

The States Assembly unanimously voted to APPROVE the Minister for External Relations and Financial Services' proposition. This means that LLC profits will be attributed to members, who will account for the profit on their own tax returns.

Extension of the Law which enables implementation of Covid-19 legislation

The Minister for Health and Social Services proposed to extend the Law which enables the States Assembly to implement legislation quickly in response to any Covid-19 outbreaks or pandemic-related challenges, to 16 December 2022.

The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister for Health and Social Services' proposition.

Extension of temporary Covid-19 legislation to the end of September

The Minister for Health and Social Services proposed regulations which, if passed, will extend some temporary Covid-19 legislation to 30 September 2022.

The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister for Health and Social Services' proposal to extend some temporary Covid-19 legislation to 30 September 2022. 38 States Members voted in favour and seven voted against. Legislation to be extended includes regulations related to:

Restrictions at the border
Reduced staff in adult care services
Marriage and civil partnership ceremonies
Making wills
The operation of court proceedings

Reappointment of Commissioner of the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission

The Minister for International Development proposed to re-appoint Therese Morel as a non-States Commissioner of the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission for a three-year period, until March 2025.

The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister for International Development's proposition.

"Portelet no-take zone" for fishing

The Minister for the Environment proposed regulations which, if approved, would establish a "Portelet no-take zone" which means it would be an offence to fish in this zone, except if it is for scientific research.

After the States Assembly approved the principles, the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel called the regulations in for review. The regulations will return to the States Assembly for debate after Scrutiny has completed its review.

Winding up and dissolution of limited liability companies

The Minister for External Relations and Financial Services proposed regulations to allow for the winding up and dissolution of limited liability companies (LLCs).

The States Assembly unanimously voted to APPROVE the Minister for External Relations and Financial Services' proposition.

Amendment to the Law in keeping with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations

The Assistant Minister for External Relations and Financial Services proposed to amend the Law in keeping with the Financial Action Task Force International Standards on Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation.