A plethora of policy letters are due from committees

Policy & Resources has wide powers to schedule items for debate at any future meeting it chooses, but it is understood that it will try to fit all committees’ business into the current States term as long as it has been submitted in the next fortnight or so.

The current Assembly is due to meet three more times, with its final meeting starting on 30 April, less than two weeks before nominations open for candidates standing at the general election.

Employment & Social Security and the States’ Trading Supervisory Board are among the committees uncertain about whether all their policy letters will be finished in time.

‘ESS have two policy letters yet to be published – the minimum wage for the year starting 1 October and proposals to prevent discrimination on the grounds of age,’ said Deputy Peter Roffey, the president of both ESS and STSB.

‘In addition, there is one possible policy letter, but we would not want to release any details at this stage because if it doesn’t make the cut the next committee might want to take a fresh look at the subject matter.’

‘STSB has no unpublished policy letters which are certain to come.

‘Our policy letter on commercialisation is due for debate on 19 March.

‘Just like ESS, there is also one more possible policy letter, but the same considerations apply.’

Environment & Infrastructure and P&R lead the way with the highest number of items they still hope to submit to the current Assembly.

E&I is finalising no fewer than five policy letters, including on the long-term use of Les Vardes Quarry, new rules on landlords and tenants, changes to driving licences, and the future of a renewable energy commission.

P&R anticipates submitting three more policy letters of its own.

One will propose the next steps towards creating a wind farm off Guernsey’s coast and one will recommend a revised scheme to improve the condition of the runway at Alderney Airport.

Economic Development president Deputy Neil Inder said he was confident of submitting one further policy letter this term on his committee’s review of the Guernsey Competition and Regulatory Authority.

All of the policy letters not yet submitted would be debated at the States meetings starting on 9 or 30 April.

The Assembly has already agreed its business for the final meeting this month, including the commercialisation of States trading boards, Education’s proposal for a phased withdrawal of public funding of the three grant-aided colleges, and a plan to break a long-running dispute about funding rectories housing priests serving more than one parish.

No replies were received from the Education, Sport & Culture Committee or the Home Affairs Committee.