States Meeting Summary 19 January
19th January 2021
Nominations and appointments
To begin the first States Meeting of 2021, Deputy David Johnson and Senator Sam Mézec put themselves forward for the position of Chair of the Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel.
Following a speech from the Deputy and Senator, and a period of questions from members, the States Assembly voted Deputy David Johnson as the new Chair of the Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel.
Constable Mike Jackson nominated Deputy Steve Luce and Deputy Graham Truscott as members of the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel. The States Assembly confirmed this appointment.
Deputy Robert Ward nominated Senator Tracey Vallois as a member of the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel. Senator Vallois' appointment was confirmed by the States Assembly.
Deputy Inna Gardiner nominated Senator Tracey Vallois as a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Senator Vallois' appointment was confirmed by the States Assembly.
Deputy Russell Labey nominated Senator Tracey Vallois as a member of the Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC). Senator Vallois' appointment was confirmed by the States Assembly.
Following the next period of oral questions, Senator Steve Pallet and Deputy Steve Luce were appointed as members to the Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel.
Oral questions
States Members put oral questions with notice to Ministers for up to 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Catch up on oral questions with notice by skipping to 1 hour and 25 minutes into Tuesday morning's meeting.
Deputy Louise Doublet asked the following question of the Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf: “Will the Minister update the Assembly on the current medical advice with regards to the safe opening of schools during the Covid-19 pandemic; and give a comparative assessment of the health and wellbeing effects of continuing to keep the schools open as opposed to closing them?”
Deputy Mike Higgins asked the following question of the Minister for Treasury and Resources, Deputy Susie Pinel: “Will the Minister explain the current position in relation to ensuring that bodies such as eBay, Amazon, or other British national and international trading bodies and foreign States, are not charging Islanders V.A.T. on goods purchased or, alternatively, that mechanisms are in place to refund any V.A.T. charged; and what action, if any, her department is taking to ensure that Jersey consumers are not being disadvantaged in this regard?”
Deputy Jeremy Maçon asked the following question of H.M. Attorney General: “Will H.M. Attorney General advise whether there are any legal considerations involved in decisions taken to change the priority order for people to receive a Covid vaccination and what legal recourse, if any, is available to any members of the public who are adversely impacted by such decisions?”
Deputy Steve Ahier asked the following question of the Minister for Home Affairs, Constable Len Norman: “Will the Minister advise the Assembly what plans, if any, he has to increase the age of criminal responsibility in Jersey?”
Deputy Kirsten Morel asked the following question of the Minister for the Environment, Deputy John Young: “Will the Minister advise the Assembly if any research or studies have taken place to identify whether there are any clusters of PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) related illnesses or conditions within the PFAS plume area, the wider St. Ouen’s Bay area or the Island as a whole?”
Senator Sam Mézec asked the following question of the Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré: “What evidence, if any, can the Chief Minister provide to demonstrate whether levels of income inequality, and the number of Islanders living on relative low incomes, have either risen or fallen during his time in office?”
Deputy Kevin Pamplin asked the following question of H.M. Attorney General: “Will H.M. Attorney-General advise members of the extent, if any, to which the Island’s road traffic legislation protects the most vulnerable road users by the means of presumed liability?”
Deputy Geoff Southern asked the following question of the Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré: “Will the Chief Minister explain how the proposal to create the new post of Director of Analytics and Statistics, operating from the Strategy, Policy, Planning and Performance (S.P.P.P.) Department and ultimately responsible to the S.P.P.P. Director General, does not remove the necessary independence of Statistics Jersey?”
Senator Steve Pallett asked the following question of the Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf: “Given the increased risk of mental distress to Islanders as a result of both past and present Covid-19 restrictions, will the Minister advise the Assembly of the current waiting times for an appointment at the Listening Lounge, Jersey Talking Therapies and Adult Mental Health Services?”
Constable Karen Shenton-Stone asked the following question of the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Senator Lyndon Farnham: “Will the Minister advise what action, if any, is being taken to ensure that senior leads and officers for the new Arts and Culture strategies are sourced locally?”
Deputy Inna Gardiner asked the following question of the Assistant Chief Minister, Deputy Rowland Huelin: “Will the Minister provide States members and the public with diagrams of what the proposed hospital and suggested access routes will look like ahead of the planned debate of ‘Our Hospital: Preferred Access Route’ (P.167/2020)?”
Deputy Robert Ward asked the following question of the Minister for Social Security, Deputy Judy Martin: “Given that pay-as-you-go mobile phone users can pay up to 39p a minute when held in a queue for the Social Security or Covid-19 helplines, will the Minister advise whether there is any facility for members of the public to make these calls for free; and if not, will the Minister commit to enabling this as a matter of urgency?”
Deputy Carina Alves asked the following question of the Minister for Social Security, Deputy Judy Martin: “Will the Minister advise why taxpayers on the marginal rate tax are paying 1.95% of their taxable income for long-term care, whereas those on the standard tax rate are charged only 1.5% on their taxable income?”
Deputy Kevin Pamplin asked the following question of the Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf: “What has been the response from Islanders to date to the letters inviting them to take part in the Assisted Dying Citizens’ Jury; and is its establishment on track to meet the timetable for delivery?”
Senator Sam Mézec asked the following question of the Minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Kevin Lewis: “Since the relocation of Government offices from Cyril Le Marquand House to Broad Street in 2018, as part of a wider office strategy to free up Government-owned sites for affordable housing, will the Minister advise how many Government-owned sites have been officially identified for this purpose?”
Deputy Kirsten Morel asked the following question of the Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré: “In light of the incorporation of Statistics Jersey into Strategic Policy, Performance, and Planning (S.P.P.P.), will the Chief Minister explain what further measures, if any, are planned in respect of the status of Statistics Jersey; and will he state why the Chief Statistician has been placed on gardening leave?”
Deputy Inna Gardiner asked the following question of the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Senator Lyndon Farnham: “Given that the E-petition calling for additional support to small businesses has received over 1,000 signatures, will the Minister advise what plans he has, if any, to offer one-off grants to those that have been worst affected by forced closures?”
Deputy Mike Higgins asked the following question of the Minister for Children and Housing, Deputy Jeremy Maçon: “Given the impacts of Covid-19 and the acute shortage of housing, especially for low paid and vulnerable members of society, will the Minister advise what actions, if any, are being taken to prevent Islanders being evicted from their homes during the pandemic, whether due to the actions of creditors or landlords; and state whether the use of hotels or sofa-surfing are considered viable policy alternatives to the prevention of eviction?”
Deputy Jeremy Maçon asked the following question of H.M. Attorney General: “Further to Oral Question 193/2020 regarding access to the electoral register, will H.M. Attorney General advise whether individuals can apply to each Parish to receive a copy of the electoral registers for the purpose of promoting enrolment on the register; and, if so, how they are able to do so?”
Constable Karen Shenton-Stone asked the following question of the Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf: “Will the Minister update the Assembly on how the proposed changes to the Assisted Reproduction Unit are progressing; will he assure members that there will be no interruption to patient treatments or services during any transition period and, if he cannot make such an assurance, will the Minister explain why?”
Deputy Louise Doublet asked the following question of the Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf: “Will the Minister advise what the current position is in relation to ensuring support partners are able to accompany pregnant women for scans; and whether it is possible for individuals to be tested, and to isolate in advance of planned scans, to enable this to happen?”
Deputy Robert Ward asked the following question of the Minister for Treasury and Resources, Deputy Susie Pinel: “Further to the adoption of P.94/2019, will the Minister update members on the implementation of the commitments to work with Statistics Jersey on the requirement that all States expenditure be classified in accordance with the United Nations Classification of the Functions of Government system and to ensure that Government documents present and classify financial information in accordance with international best practice?”
Deputy Geoff Southern asked the following question of the Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Richard Renouf: “Will the Minister update members on the activity that is taking place in the Hospital to address routine elective and urgent treatments; will he provide the latest waiting lists for surgery for December 2020 compared to December 2019, and state what alternative treatment, if any, is offered in the event of patients being turned away from the Hospital?”
Public business
Amendment of States Standing Orders – Chairing Scrutiny and PAC
After withdrawing this proposition during the 3 December States Meeting, Deputy Scott Wickenden re-proposed it to the States Assembly.
The Deputy proposed an amendment to States Assembly Standing Orders which sought to prevent any States Member from Chairing a Scrutiny Panel or the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) if in the same political party as any of the Ministers that the Panel scrutinises.
The States Assembly voted to REJECT Deputy Wickenden’s proposition - find out how States Members voted here.
Read the full proposal here.
Amendment to the Financial Services Ombudsman Law
The Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Senator Lyndon Farnham, asked that members accept an amendment to Financial Services Ombudsman Law. This amendment requested that members of the board of the Financial Services Ombudsman can re-appointed for one year, rather than between 3 to 5 years.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition – find out how States Members voted here.
Read the full proposal here.
Appointment of side members to the Jersey Employment and Discrimination Tribunal
The Minister for Social Security, Deputy Judy Martin, nominated Claire Bowes; Scott Hollywood; Lorraine Bennett; Patrycja Zakrewska and Sue Pallot as side members of the Jersey Employment and Discrimination Tribunal. The States Assembly voted to appointed the nominated side members - find out how States Members voted here.
Read the full proposal here.
Review Standing Orders - provide for political parties
Senator Sam Mézec proposed that Standing Orders should be amended to take into account that members may choose to organise themselves within political parties. He also requested that the Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC) to bring forward the necessary amendments to facilitate this by the end of 2021.
The States Assembly voted to APPROVE Senator Mézec’s proposition - find out how States Members voted here.
Read the full proposal here.
Appointment of Chair to Jersey Police Complaints Authority
The Minister for Home Affairs, Constable Len Norman, nominated Janet Naylor as Chair of the Jersey Police Complaints Authority, for a period of 3 years, with immediate start. The Chair’s appointment was confirmed in a vote by the States Assembly.
Read the full proposal here.
To catch up on all public business, skip to 1 hour and 10 minutes into Tuesday afternoon's States Meeting.
The States Assembly will next meet on Tuesday, 9 February 2021.
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