States report for 4 November 2010

Three days is a long time to be in the States. It requires attention, brain power, and a superhuman ability to stay alert. In fact, members drifted away to other meetings, or the coffee room, or what they call "comfort breaks" so often that the number of politicians in their seats fell below its legal minimum, and they had to stop the debate as the Deputy Bailiff called them back like a tolerant sheepdog. It infuriated some members for the States to go in-quorate (as it's officially called) during what they considered some very important debates. Deputy Bob Hill was irritated that the Chamber was particularly empty when they were debating his proposition to give children both a guardian and a lawyer acting for them in some court cases. Human rights of children It's a sensitive issue, and one which Deputy Hill said Jersey was obliged to introduce, to protect the basic human rights of children. Not in every case, but in those where there's a chance children might have to be removed from their parents, he said, the court should provide two qualified professionals to represent their interests. But others argued this wasn't really needed. The Solicitor General Howard Sharp was asked about Deputy Hill's claim that it was necessary under the human rights law. He replied that the law doesn't automatically mean that a lawyer had to be appointed, and said there was nothing in the law now that was against human rights. Ministers said that the system works well, and that it didn't need to be changed, just to slavishly follow what they do in the UK - when there's no evidence that method protects children any better. It was defeated, but quite narrowly, with 21 in favour, 25 against.