Deputy St Pier & Six others - P.2024/52
The States are asked to decide:-
Whether, after consideration of the Requête entitled "Commonwealth (Latimer House) Principles: the Role of the Parliamentary Assembly within the 'Three Branches of Government'" dated the 3 rd June, 2024 they are of the opinion:
1. To agree that the Latimer House Principles are relevant to ensuring that Guernsey maintains a strong and functioning democratic system which underpins the components of a state (the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary) and that this requires recognition in order to increase the capacity of the States of Deliberation by ensuring that its Members have appropriate space and support to undertake their role as elected representatives.
2. To direct that the States' Assembly & Constitution Committee should consider and report back by June 2026 to the States of Deliberation with any recommendations for the adoption of an appropriate version of the Model Law to establish a special purpose parliamentary body to oversee the institution of the States of Deliberation as a parliament, having regard to our size, scale, and system of government.
3. (A) To designate Court 3 (the Assembly) and the current Royal Court Library as 'parliamentary estate'; and
(B) To change the order of priority for the use of the parliamentary estate such that in the first instance it is designated as space for the use of the States of Deliberation and its Members and thereafter it shall be available for use by the States of Election, the courts and for ceremonial occasions; and
(C) To direct the Policy & Resources Committee and the States' Assembly & Constitution Committee in liaison with the Royal Court to agree and make such detailed arrangements as are practically necessary to give effect to this proposition as soon as feasible whilst ensuring the most efficient use of the parliamentary estate by the States of Deliberation, its Members, and the Royal Court.
4. To direct the Policy & Resources Committee and the States' Assembly & Constitution Committee to consider the practicality of further designating Court 6 (the old Greffe's office below the present Royal Court Library) and adjacent office as parliamentary estate and/or identify from within the States' estate additional space suitable for parliamentary and Members' uses, consulting with among others the Royal Court and St. James' Chambers.
5. To direct the preparation of any necessary legislation.