11 December 2006
Privileges & Procedures Committee
Morier House
Halkett Place
St. Helier
Jersey JE1 1DD
PRESS RELEASE – MONDAY 11th DECEMBER 2006
COMPOSITION AND ELECTION OF THE STATES – OPTIONS FOR CHANGE
The Privileges and Procedures Committee has today issued a consultation document (R.97/2006) setting out options for change to the composition and election of the States. The Committee has been working on this issue throughout 2006 and commissioned a MORI survey in the summer. The options for change draw heavily on the conclusions of the MORI survey and set out clearly the various advantages and disadvantages of each option.
PPC has identified 4 options for a reformed composition of the States that it considers are worthy of further consideration. All 4 proposed options include the retention of the 12 Parish Connétables as members of the States as the Committee has concluded that the results of the MORI poll, and the current political support for the retention of the Connétables, mean that it would not be worthwhile or productive to explore options that involve the removal of the automatic right of Connétables to sit in the Assembly. The 4 options being proposed can be summarised as follows –
OPTION ONE
Elect 30 members island-wide and the 12 Parish Connétables on one single general election day for a term of office of 4 years.
OPTION TWO
Elect 30 members in a small number of large constituencies and elect these members, and the 12 Parish Connétables, on the same day every 4 years. Under this option the Island would be divided into between 3 and 6 large electoral districts which would each elect a number of members.
OPTION THREE
Retain existing membership but elect all 53 members on the same day every 4 years. Under this option the present membership would be retained but a general election for all members would be held on one day every 4 years.
OPTION FOUR
Retain the status quo but bring forward minor improvements such as electing all Connétables on one day and reallocating the Deputies seats to ensure a more even distribution across the Island. The Committee believes it is important to consider the ‘status quo’ as one of the options for comparison purposes alongside the options for change so that a conscious decision can be taken on whether the options put forward are an improvement on the current position.
PPC intends to consult very widely on the options put forward. It intends to send out a summary of the consultation paper to every household in Jersey early in the New Year and it may then commission a further survey of public opinion before the States are asked to agree the way forward. As already announced PPC will ask the States to agree that any ‘in principle’ decision on these issues should be put the electorate in a referendum before final implementation.
PPC Chairman, Connétable Derek Gray, said “The matter of reform of the composition and election of the Assembly is undoubtedly one of the most controversial issues that members will have to consider next year. It is also clearly one of the most important decisions for the future of the Island. Although several private members have suggested in recent years that reform could be achieved by the simple adoption of a single proposition it can be seen from our options paper there is no simple package of measures that could be implemented easily and, although it has no desire to delay appropriate reforms, PPC believes that caution must be taken before rushing into significant change which might have unforeseen consequences for the government of Jersey. We are nevertheless determined to bring forward the issue for debate early in 2007.”
The consultation document can be viewed on the States Assembly website www.statesassembly.gov.je and copies are available from the States Bookshop, Morier House, St Helier.
** For media interviews please contact Connétable Derek Gray (Tel: 855064).
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