‘Guillotine’ motions were suspended during the States’ lockdown-enforced virtual meetings at the start of the year.
An analysis of the motions attempted since 24 March demonstrates the frequency which with Deputies have tried to bring debate to a halt.
In the ten meetings that have taken place since, States’ members have invoked Rule 26(1) 23 times, with Deputies Marc Leadbeater (5), Lester Queripel (4), Neil Inder (4) and Andrew Taylor (2) the main culprits.
Pictured: The attempts to guillotine debate and the outcomes of the recorded votes, from 24 March to 15 October.
17 of the motions were lost, three were carried, one was withdrawn and two were not required because there were no more speakers left in debate.
Sacc’s Principal Officer explained to the Committee that the guillotine motion was introduced in 2001 and was only rarely used at the time.
Its use has shot up and concerns have been raised that some members are being stopped from participating in debate.
States “guillotine” being used far too much. Yesterday invoked straight after opening speech on a proposed £12.5M investment. Undemocratic / tiresome. If people don’t like debating stuff why did they stand for the States? I’d scrap the rule but SACC have bigger fish to fry.
— Peter John “Rufus” Roffey (@PeterRoffey5) October 16, 2021
Pictured: Deputy Roffey was aggravated by Deputy Andy Cameron’s attempt to guillotine debate on proposals for the States to co-finance the creation of an island-wide fibre network to the tune of £12.5m.
On other occasions, Deputies have spoken themselves in debate on a proposal before then laying a guillotine motion.
There have been unsuccessful moves previously to get rid of the guillotine rule or, failing that, to amend it to require a two-thirds majority. If there was a two-thirds majority, none of the guillotine motions put forward in the last six months would have been successful.
During a short discussion, it was also noted by the Sacc Committee that the use of the give way rule has “undoubtedly gone up” since its introduction in 2013.
On one occasion recently, Deputy Bob Murray ended up speaking for five minutes in a give way speech, which is supposed to be limited to one minute.
Pictured: The Deputies who have laid guillotine motions in the States’ Assembly since 24 March.
The Committee decided to push the enquiry into a wider review of the rules and procedures. Deputy Simon Fairclough issued a note of caution about the potential backlog of reviews the Committee was creating.
“I think we are pushing things towards the rules debate. At some point we are going to have a lot to go through.”
Committee President Deputy Carl Meerveld indicated that Sacc should prepare several policy letters throughout the term on individual sections of the States’ rules in order to concentrate debate.
“There have been times that we have dominated an entire meeting with just a rules debate, which ends up very disorganised and naval-gazing.”
The Committee agreed to look into Deputy Roffey’s request further, however no timeframe has been given.