Virtual meeting proposed to keep Assembly on track

At Tuesday’s – virtual – meeting of the States’ Assembly and Constitution Committee, it was presented with some recommendations as to how technology could be used for the upcoming States meeting.

Sacc president Neil Inder said that the recommendations included rules for the Civil Contingency Authority to consider. These could lead to Sacc being given the power to allow the holding of virtual States meetings.

‘A virtual States meeting is very much a temporary affair as we have a number of items from the 18 March meeting, that was postponed, to finish as the normal course of a functioning democracy,’ he said.

The next meeting is due to take place on 21 April and Deputy Inder said that Sacc had adopted the recommendations and was planning a mock meeting to understand how it might work.

It would be sending guidance notes to members on this, too.

The last States meeting was held at St James, with members seated at a distance from each other to maintain social distancing.

Deputy Inder said that there were some Sacc members, as well as other deputies, who believe there are practical solutions with greater social distancing that could allow the States to sit normally, with proxy voting being used.

‘However, States members are not deemed “essential workers” and therefore under the director of Public Health’s guidance it is, effectively, illegal for 40 people along with ushers and officers to sit in a room.’

Should the virtual meeting come to pass, efforts will be made to allow the public to view it, he added.

Some deputies had already discussed the forthcoming meeting on Twitter, wondering if a meeting might take place next week.

Deputy Chris Green said there were, in his opinion, only two urgent issues – moving the election from June and how the States can function in the immediate future.

There was scepticism about a virtual meeting from Deputy Barry Brehaut: ‘I despair at the idea we could hold a States meeting on Teams [Microsoft’s virtual meeting app]. The roll call will find the first poor connection. Give way could prove interesting too, along with point of clarification. Members leave their mics off now as it is.’

But Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen urged him to ‘think positive’. ‘Where’s that can-do attitude of yours gone eh? That’s my glass, it’s half full.’

Deputy John Gollop was not sure people had the right hardware: ‘Some of us not supplied with fit-for-purpose technology bandwidth or training,’ he wrote.

Pressure is mounting in the UK for Parliament to meet virtually when the Commons is due to return on 21 April to allow urgent questions and hear statements in prime minister's questions. A trial of virtual select committee hearings there has been successful and cabinet has also met virtually.