Under the new system of Ministerial government there is a 30 minute session at the start of every sitting where members have the opportunity to ask questions, without notice, to ministers. The session is split into two periods, with one Minister in each half taking questions. The Chief Minister has to take questions during the second period at every other meeting. We will show you the questions asked in each half along with the full audio from each session so that you can hear the Ministers response. The sittings take place every two weeks. You will also be able to read the written and pre-submitted oral questions on the Hansard section of the States Assembly website. QUESTION TIME – HOME AFFAIRS In the first half of the Question Time sitting, members had the opportunity to ask the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Wendy Kinnard questions without notice. Some of the subjects included fire arms, the prison, and race relations. Click on the audio link above to listen to the questions as well as Senator Kinnard’s response. You will need the free Real Player to listen to any audio clip on this site. Deputy Sarah Fergusson “Would the Minister like to tell the house how she expects to have a reasoned and thorough review of the Fire Arms Law given the effects of the adversarial interview given by the Deputy Chief Officer of Police?” Deputy Fred Hill “The Firearms Liaison Group was established after the passing the law in 1999/2000. Could the Minister tell us how often the group has met and is the Minister satisfied at the effectiveness of that particular liaison group? “Could I just add then that if the former of the Connetable of St. Ouen was on for three years that there has not been a meeting of the group for the last three years bearing in mind that’s six years in total?” Deputy John Le Fondre “To return to the J.E.P. article of Friday 17th March, which was the one with the heavy machine gun on the front page, which we understand was based upon information supplied by the police. “Could the Minister confirm the method of calculation which backs up the statement that the people register to own guns in the island, hold 6.5 millon rounds of ammunition?” Deputy Alan Breckon “Sir, I wonder if the Minister could give any information or statistics about the temporary release schemes and show whether it’s been a success or a failure in comparison with other prisons?” Deputy Collin Egre “Sir, there have been several rumours over the future of the retained Western Fire Station, would the Minister of Home Affairs comment on the possible closure and sale of this site either now or in the foreseeable future?” Senator Leonard Norman “In view of the startling revelation made earlier this morning that the Police Chief does not report to the Minister for Home Affairs what comfort can the public take from the obvious conclusion that policing in Jersey occurs in a political vacuum?” Deputy Celia Scott-Warren “Can the Minister inform Members of the progress being made to improve the educational facilities for all age groups at the prison?” Deputy Alan Gorst “The Minister may have already partially answered my question. Assuming Sir, that we no longer subscribe to the Victorian value of locking up criminals and throwing away the key, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons in a report states that there are no policies to help prisoners address their offending behaviour or to prepare them for release. “Could the Minister confirm what measures she intends to introduce to correct this fundamental problem?” Deputy Peter Troy “Can the Minister explain the reasoning for the Chief of Police reporting to the Chief Executive Officer of the States rather than directly to her department? “And does she feel that dilutes her authority as Minister and dilutes the whole reporting process directly to the department?” Deputy Geoff Southern “Can the Minister provide for Members a list of the number of times in the last three years when she approached the then Finance and Economics Committee for additional funding for the prison or for long term solutions to the dreadful funding problems associated, and with what outcome? “And especially how many times she has been turned down, especially with short notice?” Deputy Deidre Mezbourian “Will the Minister comment on the current position regarding the implementation of the thirty-two recommendations made in the Wool report?” Deputy Shona Pitman “Would the Minister clarify whether she feels that it is adequate that in 2006 all the government can offer its people is race relations protection that is wholly voluntary in nature? “If not, could the Minister also clarify what progress is being made to implement statutory legislations to bring us in line with other European countries?” QUESTION TIME – TREASURY AND RESOURCES In the second half of the Question Time sitting, members had the opportunity to ask the Minister for Treasury and Resources, Senator Terry Le Sueur questions without notice. Some of the subjects included higher education, GST, buying property through share transfer and taxes on redeveloped land. Click on the audio link above to listen to the questions as well as Senator Le Sueur’s response. You will need the free Real Player to listen to any audio clip on this site. Deputy Geoff Southern “Can the Minister inform Members what measures he has found, and referred to earlier, to modify the look-through provisions which do not result in a reduction of the tax base or of the revenue produced?” Deputy Andrew Lewis “Would the Minister consider creating our own student loan system using existing reserve funds until such time that an outsourced arrangement can be achieved, if indeed it is determined that this is the best approach to take with regards to the current higher education funding crisis?” Deputy Sarah Ferguson “On a sort of general overview Sir, does the Minister consider part of his brief when looking at the overall performance of the civil service to look at departments which are having problems and perhaps send in sort of consultants so to speak from his own departments, such as the internal audit department, you know if you are in… “Does the Minister not look over the whole working of the states and say ‘well this department’s having problems, we better send people in to have a review of it and see what is going on’?” Connetable of St. Helier Simon Crowcroft “Would the Minister give us a date when he is going to set up the working group which he has promised on the 14th of March to set up on the payment of rates on states owned properties, given that the outcome of island wide rate will be announced in May or June this year?” Senator Jim Perchard “Would the Minister for Treasury and Resources, as he recently announced a welcome £12 million surplus to the budget, consider making available, as a one off payment, part of the surpluses for payment of university top-up fees? Senator Ben Shenton “Sir, would the Minister admit that his letter dated 20th of March concerning the public employees’ pension scheme was a little bit misleading given that the pre-1987 liability actually rose from 118 million to 123 million?” Deputy Judy Martin “The Minister has pledged to provide 2 million to be provided, so as to protect income support claimants from the increased costs that would arise following the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax.” “Will the Minister confirm whether this is to be just a one-off 2 million, or as these costs will increase every year for the people on low income support, that this 2 million will be reoccurring every year?” Deputy Shona Pitman “Is the Minister aware of the Isle of Man’s proposals to cap not only the tax of wealthy individuals but also company tax? “Does he accept that this is a clear invitation to tax avoidance which will not meet EU code of business taxation rules, but such a move seeks to undermine our island’s economy?” Deputy Alan Breckon “A number of documents have been published today, draft discussion documents in relation to Goods and Services Tax, and they do outline some exemptions. Has the Minister got an open or closed mind to other exemptions?” Deputy Fred Hill “Will the Minister give the average revenue lost each year, because of people who fail to buy, or purchase their property by way of share transfer? “And does he not think that the money lost really should be a spur to ensure the houses wishes to ensure that the share transfer loophole is stopped?” Deputy Geoff Southern “The Minister appears to have hardwired the rate of 3% into the law for three years. Does he not accept that whenever I try and hardwire into the law I am always told that is not the way to do it. “Should this not be in regulation completely and not hardwired into the law?” Senator Jim Perchard “Can the Minister confirm in his quart pint pot calculation, if any of the budgetary underspends are being targeted, or will be targeted to pay student loans?” Deputy Jacqui Hilton “Can the Minister inform the house how much progress has been made in relation to new taxes on land rezoned for housing?” Deputy Patrick Ryan “Will the Minister give any consideration to ring fencing environmental taxes for environmental gains, in terms of various things that we can all think of, is there any consideration given to that?” Deputy Jacqui Hilton “Does the Minister not think that due to the fact that the Environment Minister will be considering very soon the possible rezoning on the H3 and H4 sites, that the matter of new taxes on the redevelopment of land should be high on his agenda?” Deputy Geoff Southern “In an earlier table dancer today the Minister referred to revised income forecasts and detailed analysis on 20 means 20. Will he ensure early release of these documents to the appropriate scrutiny panel? | 
