This glossary provides definitions for terms used in Guernsey's parliamentary process including during the meetings, and within the documentation, of The States of Deliberation.
A
Absent(e) de l’Isle Answer given at the evocation by a States Member on behalf of another States Member who is absent from Guernsey.
Amendment An amendment is a secondary Proposition which seeks to change a Proposition that has been put forward for debate by the States. This could be by altering the wording, removing sections or inserting new aspects. An amendment is placed by two Deputies (a proposer and a seconder respectively).
Amendments are debated before the original Propositions and, if agreed, alters the original Propositions as appropriate. The updated Propositions are then voted on at the end of general debate.
B
The Bailiff The Bailiff is the island’s Chief Judge, who presides over meetings of the States of Deliberation and the States of Election. The Bailiff's parliamentary role involves acting as Presiding Officer of the States of Deliberation, serving as a moderator of debate in the States, ruling on questions of procedure and maintaining order.
The Bailiff also sits in the Royal Court, either as a single Judge or presiding over such sittings with the Jurats.
The Bailiff is appointed by the Sovereign following a recommendation by the retiring Bailiff to the Lieutenant-Governor who also consults appropriate senior Bailiwick office holders. The Lieutenant-Governor makes a recommendation to the Ministry of Justice and the Lord Chancellor who will then make a recommendation to His Majesty the King.
Billet d’Etat This acts as the convening notice for meetings of the States of Deliberation and the States of Election. It lists the items submitted for debate at each meeting.
By-Election This is an election which is held outside of a General Election - usually when only one new Deputy needs to be found to fill a seat, for example, if a Deputy resigns.
C
Chief Executive of the States/ Head of the Public Service This role is the most senior in the Public Service, it is non-political and held by a civil servant.
Civil Service/ Servant The Civil Service serves the government of the day and supports them to develop and implement its policies as effectively as possible.
Committee Typically, a Committee comprises up to five States’ members. Some Committees also have non-States Members that cannot vote in the States of Deliberation.
Committees carry out work as instructed by the States. There is one senior Committee (Policy and Resources), seven principal Committees and seven additional Committees.
Committee President Each Committee is led by a President who is an elected States Member. The President of the Policy & Resources Committee holds the senior political office in Guernsey and is colloquially referred to as 'Chief Minister'. Each Committee also has a Vice-President to deputise for the President.
Convocation Reading of the convening notice in the Billet d’État by the States' Greffier
D
Debate A debate is held when the States need to resolve on a matter. At the end of a debate, members will hold a vote on what to do.
Deputy Deputies (officially ‘the People’s Deputies’) are elected by the people of Guernsey to be a Member of the States of Deliberation for four years. There are 38 Deputies altogether. They are joined in the States of Deliberation by two Alderney Representatives.
Douzaine Each of the ten parishes in Guernsey is administered by two elected Constables. They are supported and monitored by an elected council of residents called the Douzaine. The Constables are responsible by law for the day-to-day administration of the parish, assisted by a small team of parish staff.
Douzenier Each Douzaine elects between 1 and 9 Douzeniers (according to the parish’s population) to sit in the States of Election. They are appointed on an ad hoc basis for each meeting.
Douzeniers and Constables are volunteers. The parish staff are employed by the Constables on behalf of the parish.
Douzeniers also take part in the election of Jurats and commemorative events.
E
Electoral Roll Everyone over the age of 16 has the right to vote as long as they live in Guernsey (for at least two years immediately before the election or at least five years in total at any time before the election). You must first enrol on the Electoral Roll before you can vote.
Evocation This happens at the beginning of each States' Meeting. It includes Prayers, the announcement of the date in French and a roll call of Members also in French. The responses that States' Members give to this roll call include Présent(e), Relevé(e), Indisposé(e) or Absent(e) de l’Isle.
G
General Election A General Election happens every four years to elect new members of the States of Deliberation. Find out more at www.election2025.gg.
H
Hansard report The official report of what was said in every States’ Meeting.
H.M. Comptroller His Majesty’s Comptroller is one of the legal advisers to the Crown and the States.
H.M. Procureur His Majesty’s Procureur is the main legal adviser to the Crown and the States.
Hustings A public meeting which takes place before an election where members of the public can hear from anyone running for election and ask them questions.
I
Indisposé(e) Answer given at the evocation by a States member on behalf of another member who is ill.
J
Jurat The Jurats act as a jury and are judges of fact in both civil and criminal cases.
L
Legislation Legislation is another word for laws. Some Resolutions in States' Meetings result in a requirement to make a change to existing law or to introduce a new law. Often, the Guernsey Law Officers will therefore draft the new legislation, which will then return to the States for further approval. Legislation can be in the form of a Projet de Loi or Ordinance or subordinate legislation.
Lieutenant-Governor The King’s representative in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The Lieutenant-Governor holds a five-year term.
M
Manifesto Candidates hoping to be elected as Deputies write a manifesto. This sets out their views on different issues and gives the public an idea of what the candidate would do if they were elected.
Mandate Each States Committee has a mandate which describes its duties and responsibilities.
Motion of No Confidence This is when the Members of the States vote on whether they have no confidence in a States' Committee. When the States vote that they have ‘No Confidence’ in a Committee, the members of that Committee are required to resign, and a new committee of members is elected to replace them.
Motion to withdraw Where a Committee (or in the case of a requête, the requérants) wish to withdraw an article or proposition, a written ‘motion to withdraw’ along with a proposer and seconder is submitted.
O
Ordinance The States of Guernsey can make legislation in the form of an ordinance. An ordinance is a special kind of law that is approved only by the States of Deliberation. These kinds of laws cannot bring in new taxes or change laws which are already in place.
Order Paper The order of business for each meeting usually circulated by the States’ Greffier on the Monday before an Ordinary sitting.
Ordinary sitting Any Meeting of the States which is not a special Meeting. Ordinary sittings commence on a Wednesday and may last for three days, any business not concluded being dealt with at the next scheduled normal meeting. Special meetings commence on a Tuesday.
P
Policy letter A supplementary report brought by a Committee, alongside its Propositions, asking the States to provide them with direction or a decision on proposals. The policy letter is published, circulated to all States’ Members and listed in the Billet d’État for a future States’ meeting.
Presiding Officer The Presiding Officer of the States, and includes any Acting Presiding Officer of the States, presides over meetings of the States of Deliberation.
Présent(e) The answer given by Members who are present for the roll call.
Proposition A question (or motion) that is put to the States.
Original proposition means any of the following:
- propositions from the Presiding Officer;
- propositions from a Committee of the States;
- propositions arising from a requête;
- propositions proposing the approval or adoption of legislation;
- motions of no confidence;
- motions of censure;
- urgent propositions; and
- propositions in relation to the adoption of the Schedule for future States’ business
Secondary proposition is any of the following:
- amendments;
- sursis;
- motions to withdraw;
- motions to annul an Ordinance or Statutory Instrument
- motions to debate an appendix report
Principal Committee Most policy development is carried out in seven Principal Committees. They are:
Committee for Economic Development; Committee for Education, Sport & Culture; Committee for Employment & Social Security; Committee for Environment & Infrastructure; Committee for Health & Social Care; Committee for Home Affairs; and Committee for Housing.
Projets de loi Projets de Loi or 'Projets' are Laws. They are equivalent to a UK Act of Parliament or statute and generally consist of the broad principles and enforceable rules relevant to specific issues such as crime, taxation, housing control and financial services. A Project de Loi can also delegate specific roles or responsibilities to other bodies. They go for Royal Assent before becoming Laws. Also referred to as 'primary legislation'. Once the States and the Privy Council in the UK have approved the law, it then becomes known as an 'Order in Council'.
R
Relevé(e) The expression used by a Member who was absent from the roll call but has subsequently attended the meeting of the States. (It literally means to be relieved of the fine formerly imposed for non-attendance at the roll call).
Requête While most proposals are put to the States of Deliberation for debate through the States’ Committees, it is possible for any group of seven Deputies to put proposals forward. They can do this by preparing a requête (a kind of report that is very similar to a Private Member's Bill in the UK). The requests contained in the requête are called the “prayer”. If signed by at least seven Deputies, proposals can be put to the States in a requête, without needing a Committee to make the proposals.
Resolutions A formal decision by, and expression of the will of, the States of Deliberation.
Rule 11 question Rule 11s are oral questions which are put to Committee Presidents during question time at States' meetings. Answers must be provided to the Deputy asking the questions by 5pm the day before the sitting.
Rule 12 question Rule 12 questions are urgent oral questions asked and answered at States Meetings.
Rule 14 question States Members are able to put written questions to Committees under ‘Rule 14’ of the Rules of Procedure. Rule 14s are submitted to Presidents for a written reply, which must be within 15 days.
S
Secondary Proposition A motion which relates to an item brought to the States in its own right.
States' Greffier The States' Greffier acts as the Clerk to Parliament in Guernsey and is the principal adviser to the States on procedure and parliamentary business.
States' Members Elected members of the States of Deliberation
States of Deliberation This is the formal name of Guernsey’s Parliament. It is made up of the Bailiff, HM Procureur, HM Comptroller, 38 Deputies and 2 Alderney Representatives.
States of Election The States of Election chooses new Jurats. It is made up of the Bailiff, the Procureur, the Comptroller, the Jurats, the Rectors, the Deputies and representatives of the Douzaine.
Subordinate legislation Subordinate legislation will generally provide practical and procedural detail in relation to a Law or Ordinance. This can be in the form of Regulations, Statutory Instruments, Rules or Orders, for example.
Sursis This in French means a delay or a stay and is a motion to do just that in respect of an item before the States. This is when a Deputy asks for the debate of an item to be delayed to a later date.
Sursis motivé A sursis which directs a course of action during the period of deferral is a sursis motivé. This is when a Deputy asks for debate on an item to be delayed until after the direction contained there within has been exercised.
Voting terminology
Appel nominal A vote by roll call of Members.
Aux Voix Means 'to the voices' is a vote by acclamation response from the States.
Contre Means 'against' is used to vote against a Proposition.
Division A widespread parliamentary term for putting a motion to the vote. It originates from the House of Commons dividing into two division lobbies when voting.
Je ne vote pas Means 'I do note vote' is the term for used for abstaining in a vote.
Pour Means ‘for’ is used to vote in favour of a Proposition.
SEV “Simultaneous Electronic Voting” - the online voting system used in the States, sometimes referred to as “the Voting App”