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This page is about the parliament of Jersey, Channel Islands. For other uses, see State Assembly (disambiguation).

States Assembly Assemblée des États (French) Êtats d'Jèrri (Jèrriais)
Type
Type	Unicameral
Sovereign	Monarch of the United Kingdom
History
Founded	c. 1497 (1497)
Preceded by	Royal Court
Leadership
Bailiff	Sir Timothy Le Cocq since 17 October 2019
Deputy Bailiff	Robert MacRae since 6 January 2020
Chief Minister	Lyndon Farnham, Independent since 30 January 2024
Deputy Chief Minister	Tom Binet, Independent since 30 January 2024
Chief Scrutineer	Inna Gardiner, Independent since 27 February 2024
Structure
Seats	49 voting members 5 non-voting members
Political groups	Government (24)   Independents (12)   Reform Jersey (10)   Jersey Liberal Conservatives (2) Others (25)   Independents (21)   Better Way (4) Non-voting (5)   Bailiff (1)   Lieutenant Governor (1)   Dean (1)   Attorney General (1)   Solicitor General (1)
Length of term	Four years
Salary	£50,000 p.a.
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post (Connétables) Plurality block voting (Deputies)
Last election	22 June 2022
Next election	2026
Meeting place
The States Chamber in the States Building
States Building, St Helier
Website
statesassembly.gov.je
Constitution
States of Jersey Law 2005
Rules
Standing Orders of the States of Jersey

The States Assembly (French: Assemblée des États; Jèrriais: Êtats d'Jèrri) is the parliament of Jersey, formed of the island's 37 deputies and the Connétable of each of the twelve parishes.

The origins of the legislature of Jersey lie in the system of self-government according to Norman law guaranteed to the Channel Islands by John, King of England, following the division of Normandy in 1204. The States Assembly has exercised uncontested legislative powers since 1771, when the concurrent law-making power of the Royal Court of Jersey was abolished.

The Assembly passes and amends laws and regulations; approves the annual budget and taxation; appoints the chief minister, ministers and members of various committees and panels; debates matters proposed by the Council of Ministers, by individual States Members or by one of the committees or panels. Members are also able to ask questions to find out information and to hold ministers to account.

Executive powers are exercised by a chief minister and eleven ministers, elected from among the members of the Assembly, and are known collectively as the Council of Ministers. Ministers are accountable to the Assembly for the conduct of their departments.

History

Origins to 1500s

The States Assembly has its origins in the Royal Court, which emerged as the island's sole legislative body following the French conquest of Normandy in 1204. The Court was comprised of 12 jurats, selected from freemen for life, and the Bailiff, who was appointed by the Warden (a precursor to the modern position of Lieutenant Governor). Sometime prior to 1524, the Court began to call upon the rectors and connétables of the island's 12 parishes to advise the court on legislative matters. Whilst the Royal Court's invitation of the two other estates was initially only an act of courtesy, eventually it became expected as a right.

The year these invitations first began is unclear. The first mention of the three estates gathering to make decisions is in 1462, during the occupation of the island by Comte Maulévrier, who decreed that in future jurats should be chosen by the Bailiff, jurats, rectors, and connétables. The first mention of an entity referred to as "the States" comes in 1497, when the security of the endowments of the Grammar schools was guaranteed "by the consent of all the States". The earliest surviving Act of the Assembly dates from 1524, issued by "the Captain [Warden], Jurats, and States of the isle."

By the 1500s, the States met fairly frequently, but still in a consultative capacity. There is evidence that attendance of the States was mandatory during this time; in 1526 the Rector of St Mary was fined for "failing to attend to give counsel to the Court on the matter of the hearth tax". In 1541, the Privy Council decided to grant Jersey two seats in the House of Commons, and wrote to the States requesting they elect two MPs to represent the island. However, this letter only reached the States on the day which the elected MPs were required to arrive in Westminster, and thus the Parliament of 1541 contained no representatives for Jersey, nor have any subsequent Parliaments.

Composition

See also: List of members of the States Assembly

Chart showing the new district map and seat figures. Elected representatives only.

The States Assembly is a unicameral parliament composed of 54 members, of which 49 have an unconditional vote.

37 deputies are elected for a four-year term from nine constituencies by multi-member plurality voting. Constituencies have four members by default, though three have more or less adjusted to the size of their population. Before 2022, 29 deputies were elected to represent their parish or a district within their parish.

#	Constituency Name	Parish	Number of Deputies	Number of Connétables
1	St Helier South	St Helier	04	01
2	St Helier Central		05
3	St Helier North		04
4	St Saviour	St Saviour	05	01
5	St Clement	St Clement	04	01
6	St Brelade	St Brelade	04	01
7	North West	St Mary	04	01
		St Ouen		01
		St Peter		01
8	North	St John	04	01
		St Lawrence		01
		Trinity		01
9	East	Grouville	03	01
		St Martin		01
Total			37	12

The Connétables of the twelve parishes of Jersey are elected by first-past-the-post for a four-year term by eligible parishioners. Where running unopposed, prospective and incumbent Connétables must run against a None of the Above option. As well as their role as the head of the civil parishes, Connétables are ex oficio States Members. Collectively, the Connétables form the Comité des Connétables. The position of the Connétables in the States dates to the establishment of the parliament. The States was formed as a meeting of the Bailiff with the Connétables, Rectors and Jurats. Since however, Jurats and Rectors have been removed. Previously, Connétables and Deputies also sat alongside a number of Senators, who were elected by a whole-island constituency on a multi-member plurality vote.

There are also five non-voting members appointed by the Crown:

• the Bailiff–who is the President (presiding officer); in his absence, the Deputy Bailiff or the Greffier, Deputy Greffier or an elected member presides
• the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey–who regularly attends the States but by convention only speaks at the ceremonial sittings marking his appointment and leaving office
• the Dean of Jersey–who conducts the opening prayers in French at every sitting and who may speak on any issue
• the Attorney General–the principal legal adviser to the States who may be called on to provide legal advice during sittings
• the Solicitor General–the Attorney General's deputy.

The clerk of the Assembly is known as the Greffier of the States.

The Viscount is the executive officer of the States (but is no longer a member of the Assembly).

Under the States of Jersey Law 2005, a Council of Ministers is selected from the States Assembly, whose members are the chief minister and at least seven ministers. During the 2008–2011 Assembly, 17 members sat on scrutiny panels, six sit only on the Planning Applications panel or the Privileges and Procedures Committee; and seven had no role other than as a member. Following widespread criticisms of the system of ministerial government introduced in December 2005, the assembly of the States of Jersey agreed in March 2011 to establish an independent electoral commission to review the make-up of the Assembly and government.

Legislative functions

A main type of legislation made by the States is known in English simply as a 'Law', and in French as a Loi (not an 'Act' as in the United Kingdom—in Jersey an Act or Acte of the States is an administrative enactment and may be in the nature of secondary legislation).

After a Law is adopted by the States it must receive royal assent and be registered with the Royal Court of Jersey before it is 'passed'.

Scrutiny functions

Members of the Assembly are responsible for scrutinizing the work of the Council of Ministers, ministers and their departments.

Scrutiny panels of backbench members of the Assembly have been established to examine:

• Economic & International Affairs
• Environment, Housing & Infrastructure
• Corporate Services
• Children, Education & Home Affairs
• Health & Social Security

Review Panels are also in operation to examine the following areas:

• Brexit
• Future Hospital
• Care of Children in Jersey
• Gender Pay Gap
• Legal Aid
• One Government
• The Transfer of the Ambulance Service and CAMHS
• Government Plan
• Government Plan Efficiencies
• Safer Travel Guidelines
• Migration and Population

A Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also scrutinizes the spending of public finances. The real utility of the panels is said to be "that of independent critique which holds ministers to account and constructively engages with policy which is deficient".

Broadcasting

BBC Radio Jersey broadcasts the main States sittings live on their medium wave frequency 1026 mW in Jersey, replacing the normal BBC Radio Jersey output which is a straight mirror of the FM output.

The raw feed of the States Members talking is provided by the States of Jersey and goes through a desk in the BBC Radio Jersey Studio in the States Chamber where it is mixed by the States Reporter on duty that day.

Broadcasting of the States debates began experimentally on 30 September 1986 and was made a permanent feature on 25 November the same year.

Since December 2005 the States of Jersey have released a complete written record of everything that members say during question time, statements and debates in the States Assembly using Hansard, similar to the UK parliament. These transcriptions are available on the States of Jersey website.

On 15 July 2015 the States Assembly voted 31 in favour and 13 against a proposal that cameras would be installed in the States Chamber in order to provide a live and on-demand video stream through the States Assembly website. The video feed will also be provided to the media.

See also

• Politics of Jersey
• Chief Minister of Jersey
• Law of Jersey
• Elections in Jersey
• States of Guernsey

External links

• Government of Jersey website
• Jersey Elections site
• Text of States of Jersey Law (2005)
• Commonwealth Parliamentary Association article – Large 20MB file Archived 11 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine