The States Assembly is Jersey’s elected parliament.
The States Assembly is responsible for:
- making new laws and regulations
- approving the amount of public money to be spent by the States every year
- approving the amount of tax to be raised
- holding Ministers to account
The States Assembly is made up of 49 States Members, including:
Deputies, who are elected to represent the interests of their constituency in the States Assembly, as well as engaging in wider issues affecting the whole Island. There are 37 Deputies spread across 9 electoral constituencies. Constituencies have between three and five Deputies depending on their population. Each Deputy represents approximately 3,000 Islanders.
Constables – also known as ‘Connétables’. There is one Constable per Parish in Jersey. Constables are the head of their Parish and responsible for dealing with Parishioners’ queries, overseeing the policing of the Parish, and managing everyday matters such as rubbish and recycling collections, dog licences, and maintaining the roads within the Parish. Constables also represent their Parish in the States Assembly.
The Assembly appoints the Chief Minister and Ministers to form the Government of Jersey. It also appoints the Chairs and members of various Scrutiny committees and panels.
The Assembly debates a wide variety of policy matters which can be brought forward for debate by the Council of Ministers, by Ministers or by individual members. Members are also able to ask questions to find out information and to hold Ministers to account.