Submitted Questions for Tuesday 28th September 2010

For those who like to keep an eye on States business, here are the questions that I have submitted to be answered (though not necessarily in a meaningful way) this Tuesday. Question Time starts after roll call and prayers on at 9:30am and goes on till Lunchtime.

If you have a chance, come down to the Chamber to watch. Question Time tends to be a lot more interesting than open debate, certainly more dynamic, and it will give you a chance to put names (and voices) to faces. The public entrance is just opposite Morier House. Alternatively you can listen in on 1026am.

Written Questions

1)      The Minister for Health and Social Services will table an answer to the following question asked by Deputy M. Tadier of St. Brelade –

          “Will the Minister advise the age of the child suffering with ‘serious’ liver damage from alcohol abuse who has not been to school for 18 months and is the alleged victim of years of sexual abuse has had to be ‘locked up’ because no suitable accommodation is available?'

          Will she advise where this child would have been admitted to under normal circumstances and explain - in detail- why this was not possible on this occasion?”

2)     The Minister for Health and Social Services will table an answer to the following question asked by Deputy M. Tadier of St. Brelade –

          “Is the Minister satisfied that the Highlands Residential Home or its parent company, the Four Seasons Group are in a secure financial situation to fulfil their obligations to the Health and Social Services Department and what enquiries, if any, has the Minister made to determine this is the case?”

3)     The Minister for Home Affairs will table an answer to the following question asked by Deputy M. Tadier of St. Brelade –

          “In the context of the recent situation where a diagnosed schizophrenic was 'reluctantly' sent to prison by the court because no other suitable facility was available, will the Minister advise where the individual, in this particular case, should have been sent, why he was not and whether the Minister considers that this is satisfactory?

          Will he also advise what steps, if any, he is taking to resolve this situation and/or similar situations happening again?”

4)     The Minister for Treasury and Resources will table an answer to the following question asked by Deputy M. Tadier of St. Brelade –

          “Will the Minister state whether anything was officially given in writing from the European Union and/or the UK Government that lead to his belief that 'zero-ten', in its current form, would be EU compliant and, if so, will he provide the relevant text?

          With regard to zero-ten, will he advise whether he has received any feedback from the Jersey public in relation to the policy’s apparent inequity (where local companies pay tax locally and non-local ones, trading in Jersey, do not)?

          Will the Minister advise if and how he is planning to amend zero-ten as it currently stands? If there are no amendments, will he say if and by what mechanisms he is planning to recapture lost revenue from non-resident companies trading in the Island?”

Oral Questions


1)      Deputy M. Tadier of St. Brelade will ask the following question of the Minister for Health and Social Services –

       “Will the Minister inform members if there are any plans to increase the amount of bed space and/or the level of staffing at Oakwell respite home and, if not, what guarantees can she give that in future children who need long term care outside the home will not be put into this facility which currently caters for short-term respite care?”

2)      Deputy M. Tadier of St. Brelade will ask the following question of the Minister for Health and Social Services –

       “Following the news that a child with liver damage from alcohol abuse who had not attended school for 18 months and was also the alleged victim of sexual abuse had to be ‘locked up’ because no appropriate accommodation was available, will the Minister inform members whether she considers this situation satisfactory and what steps, if any, she has already taken to ensure this does not happen again?”