States' Assembly & Constitution Committee - P.2023/4
The States are asked to decide:-
Whether, after consideration of the policy letter entitled 'Statements and Questions' dated 9th January 2023, they are of the opinion:-
1. To amend Rule 10(2) to read:
"Any Member holding the office of President or member of a Committee who has tendered a resignation from that office who wishes to make a statement regarding that resignation may do so at the next Meeting after tendering the resignation or during the meeting at which a successor to the vacated office is to be elected:
a) at the time prescribed in Rule 9; or
b) at such other time as the Presiding Officer may direct.
Provided that the Member has supplied the Presiding Officer with the text of the statement in advance and that the statement shall not exceed 15 minutes in duration.
2. To amend Rule 10(3) to read:
"Any Member who has obtained permission from the Presiding Officer to make a statement on behalf of, and approved by, a Committee or otherwise relating to States' business which, in the opinion of the Presiding Officer, should be made may make that statement:
a) at the time prescribed in Rule 9; or
b) at such other time as the Presiding Officer may direct.
Provided that the Member has supplied the Presiding Officer with the text of the statement in advance and that the statement shall not exceed 15 minutes in duration (which may be extended at the discretion of the Presiding Officer in exceptional circumstances). In respect of (3) only, after the Member has made the statement, the Presiding Officer shall allow a period not exceeding 15 minutes (which period may be extended at the discretion of the Presiding Officer) for questions to be asked within the context of the statement.
3. To amend Rule 10(5) to read:
"Any statement made under the provisions of paragraph (4) shall not exceed 15 minutes in duration and shall be approved by the Committee. In respect of statements made under the provisions of paragraph (4) only, after the statement has been made, the Presiding Officer shall allow a period not exceeding 20 minutes (which period may be extended at the discretion of the Presiding Officer) for questions to be asked on any matter within the mandate of the Committee, or in the case of any statement made on behalf of the States of Alderney any matter for which the States of Alderney has responsibility, except any topic which is part of another item of business at the Meeting in question.
Provided that:
after any question asked further to a statement made under Rule 10, the Member to whom questions are addressed may decline to answer a question if, in his or her opinion, any answer given might be inaccurate or misleading but shall provide the answer to the said question in writing not later than five clear days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays) following the date of the Meeting. Each individual question shall not exceed one minute in duration and the answer thereto shall not exceed one and a half minutes in duration."
4. To create a new Rule 10(5)(a) to read:
"A Member asking or replying to a question or a supplementary question who:
(a) has a direct or special interest in the subject matter of the question; or
(b) is aware that his or her spouse, co-habiting partner, infant child or any company in which her or she has a controlling interest on his or her, or their, behalf has such an interest
shall, without prejudice to the requirements of Rule 29, before he or she asks or replies to the question declare the said interest by disclosing it to the Meeting."
5. To amend Rule 11(2)(c) to read as follows:
"shall not relate to the business of the day, with the exception of general update statements made during the meeting in question;"
6. To amend Rule 12(2)(d)to read as follows:
"shall not relate to the business of the day, with the exception of general update statements made during the meeting in question;"
7. To amend the first sentence of Rule 14(1) to read as follows:
"A Member may at any time place a question on any subject in accordance with this Rule for written reply by addressing the same to the President of a Committee and by furnishing a copy thereof to the Presiding Officer, His Majesty's Procureur, the States' Greffier and to the official postal or email address of the relevant Committee."
8. To amend Rule 14(3) to read as follows:
"The States' Greffier shall cause to be published within one working day, or as soon as possible thereafter, on the States' website and in such other form as he or she may determine, a copy of every question and of the reply thereto deposited in accordance with this Rule."
