Private Members' Propositions (FOI)

Produced by the Freedom of Information office
Authored by Government of Jersey on behalf of the States Greffe and published on 21 May 2024.
Prepared internally, no external costs.

​​Request

A

Are Private Members' Bills allowed to be put before Jersey's Parliament?

B

If the answer is yes, then in the past 25 years how many have been put before Jersey Parliament?

C

What are the results of said private members bills?

D

Have any private members bills in the whole history of the States been passed?

Response

A

The request has been taken to refer to instances in which elected States Members bring forward draft legislation for debate by the States Assembly; any non-legislative propositions brought forward by Members have therefore not been considered.  

Under the Standing Orders of the States of Jersey, any elected States Member is able to lodge (and propose) a Draft Law or Draft Regulations in their own right (i.e. in an independent capacity and under their own name).  In reality, however, the majority of such legislation is lodged and proposed in the name of Ministers or other bodies with legislative responsibilities (for example, the Privileges and Procedures Committee).  

Standing Orders of the States of Jersey​

B, C and D

The attached table lists the occasions since 1999 on which an elected States Member has lodged a Draft Law, or Draft Regulations, in their own right.  The table also shows whether the draft legislation in question was adopted, rejected or withdrawn.

It is estimated that it would take in excess of 12.5 hours to research the results of all such decisions taken during the “whole history” of the States Assembly on legislation proposed by a States Member in their own name.  This would exceed the cost limit provisions allowed under Article 16 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011.

Article applied

Article 16 - A scheduled public authority may refuse to supply information if cost excessive

(1) A scheduled public authority that has been requested to supply information may refuse to supply the information if it estimates that the cost of doing so would exceed an amount determined in the manner prescribed by Regulations. 

This response has been issued on behalf of the States Greffe. The States Greffe is responsible for the information held by (and on behalf of) both itself and the States Assembly.  Neither the States Assembly nor the States Greffe form part of the Government of Jersey and the Government was not involved either in the examination and retrieval of any information required for this response, nor in the drafting of the response itself.​