Deputies vote to have priority use of Royal Court chamber

They also agreed to start a search for more building space for States members, either at the Royal Court House or within the States’ estate, and directed work on a new law for a special purpose body to oversee the States as a parliament.

Gavin St Pier claimed that deputies’ decision to back his requete could be a turning point in the history of the States Assembly.

‘The requete is a small step, but for the first time there is open recognition that States members are hampered and not as effective as they should be,' he said.

‘We can all see that and the public know it too.

‘Once you’ve recognised a problem, you can start to address it.'

Ahead of the debate, Bailiff Sir Richard McMahon had raised concerns about the island ‘struggling to deliver the administration of justice in a timely fashion’ if the judiciary was to lose access to the Royal Court chamber for ‘significant parts of every year’.

Deputy St Pier insisted that the success of his requete would not threaten the efficiency of the courts.

‘In practice, the space will still be booked in the same way as it is now, so there will be no loss of access to court space for the administration of justice.

'This will just ensure the more efficient and better utilisation of public space at no additional cost,’ he said.

In a series of separate votes, a group of about a dozen deputies consistently opposed the various proposals in the requete. The requete was criticised as a distraction from more important issues. One deputy claimed the Assembly was ‘fiddling while Rome burns’.

Deputy St Pier pointed out that the need for better facilities for States members had been identified more than 20 years ago.

‘In time, States members will see better access to space and resources to enable them to do their job as parliamentarians more effectively on behalf of the people they serve,’ he said.

The Assembly is now in its summer adjournment and will meet next on Wednesday 4 September.