Last week the States’ spending watchdog published an exceptionally critical report of how the Fund had been set up and managed, suggesting that up to £1.4million of taxpayers’ money is now overdue on the loans which have been made in a bid to stimulate the economy – and might not be repaid.

Senator Philip Ozouf is politically responsible for the Fund, but he has so far declined to resign saying that it was the civil servants who were really at fault, and that actually he was brought in, in 2015, to sort it all out – but why it actually took an investigation in January 2017 by the Comptroller and Auditor General to publicly reveal the serious problems with the Fund has so far not emerged. 

A public protest calling for him to resign has been organised today at 12:30 in the Royal Square by the St Helier Waterfront Action Group, and Senator Ozouf is also due to make a statement on the Fund to the States today. Privately States members, including fellow ministers, are speculating that he will use that platform to step down. 

Two weeks ago, the erstwhile Chief Officer of the Economic Development Department Mike King, who was the Fund’s Accounting Officer – and therefore directly responsible for it – resigned, although no mention was made at the time of the Innovation Fund. 

Senator Ozouf has been politically responsible for the Fund since 2015, but the man in overall charge of the actions of civil servants is actually the States’ Chief Executive, John Richardson. 

Reform Jersey will lead the charge in the States this week, with a series of questions on the issue from Deputies Southern, Mezec and Tadier, which are sure to see the Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst put under considerable pressure – so far, he has stood by Senator Ozouf, while at the same time saying that an “independent” investigation into whether any politicians were at fault will be launched. Deputies Mike Higgins also has questioned listed on the subject. 

Aside from that issue, almost 40 written and 20 oral questions have been tabled, and both the Minister for Health and Social Services and for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, will be in the hot seat answering questions without notice for 30 minutes.

Deputy Jackie Hilton wants to find out how many of the recommendations of the Williamson Report – an inquiry into child protection in the Island – have been implemented, and whether any consideration has been given to allow Rouge Bouillon School to expand when the Police quit their headquarters later this year.

Deputy Kevin Lewis wants to know if new security measures have been put in place to stop youngsters getting into the abandoned cable car station at Fort Regent. He’s worried there’s going to be a fatality. And Deputy Montfort Tadier wants to know when the last time air quality in the tunnel was tested and what the results were.

Public business – when politicians actually make decisions – is going to be dominated by plans to spend around £850m over the next 40 years to build a new hospital. Treasury want to borrow most of the money and the use profits from the Strategic Reserve – the so-called Rainy Day Fund – to pay it back. Scrutiny are angry because they feel they haven’t been given enough time to look over the proposals. Deputy John Le Fondre thinks other – possibly better – options are available. He’s going to be making a statement at the beginning of the sitting which is likely to be very critical of the whole process.