• Petrol down from 90.5 p to 88.8 p/l
• Marine petrol 61.4 p to 60.3 p/l
• Gas-oil & biodiesel rates cut correspondingly

1. Tax Fairness: Tax loopholes for the wealthy remain open, and there are no deterrents against property hoarding, such as a monthly levy on vacant properties. Consequently, the government misses out on vital tax revenues.
2. Spending Efficiency: The States' apparatus remains excessively top-heavy and fails to curb frivolous spending, such as on consultants. This mismanagement steadily depletes government coffers.
3. Economic Diversification: The government lacks a serious plan to develop industries beyond finance. As a result, Guernsey now lacks the human capital necessary to diversify its economy.
4. Global Outreach: The States have failed to pursue new opportunities and investments outside the UK and Europe. This has caused Guernsey to miss out on investment from the largest and fastest-growing economies in the East.

This is simply to approve the schedule for the States' business for the 4th of November 2025 (Special Meeting) and 26th of November 2025 (Ordinary Meeting).

• involve significant hazards or risk, or
• engender significant public concern

• to dissolve a trust established by the Country Hospital Charitable Fund Law, 1958, and
• to transfer all its real and personal property (including any income arising from the trust property as well as all rights and liabilities acquired or incurred for the trust) from the President of the Committee for Employment & Social Security to the President of the Committee for Health and Social Care, and
• to ensure that the transferred assets be used to fund equipment at a facility for short break and respite services for children with disabilities called the Croft, and
• for the remainder of the asset to be given to the Friends of the Princess Elizabeth Hospital

This proposition is simply to note (i.e. acknowledge) the Guernsey Police Complaints Commission 2024 Annual Report.

A motion to debate the report was also lodged by certain Deputies.

Side Note: For some reason, this proposition was not given a number (e.g. P.2025/xx).

This is essentially a proposition to change the date of the Assembly's next meeting from Wednesday 24th September 2025 to Thursday 25th September 2025.

I supported the proposition because it was only a minor date change and I believe the Assembly needs to be flexible enough to adapt to circumstances if required.

This is simply to approve the schedule for the States' business for the 25th of September 2025 (amended from 24th September 2025).

This is a vote to confirm the appointment of four members of the Independent Monitoring Panel (Committee for Home Affairs).

I do not personally know any of the individuals. My knowledge is limited to what was disclosed during the proposition debate.

My default position on individual appointments is to vote FOR the proposition unless I am made aware of any compelling reasons not to. This is consistent with my principle of assuming good faith unless and until proven otherwise.

This is a vote to agree to the appointment of a certain individual as Public Trustee for a further term of five years (Committee for Economic Development).

I do not personally know the individual. My knowledge is limited to what was disclosed during the proposition debate.

My default position on individual appointments is to vote FOR the proposition unless I am made aware of any compelling reasons not to. This is consistent with my principle of assuming good faith unless and until proven otherwise.

This is a motion to debate the Guernsey Police Complaints Commission 2024 Annual Report.

My default position is to support any motions to debate unless there is a compelling reason not to.

This Amendment to the principal ordinance Driving Licences (Guernsey) Ordinance, 1995 adds new offences to an existing list. If a driver is convicted of one of these offences and the court revokes their licence, they will have to pass their driving test again before getting a new one.

Relevant laws: Road Traffic (Causing Death or Serious Injury by Driving) (Guernsey) Law, 2025, the Road Traffic (Guernsey) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, and the Road Traffic (Drink Driving) (Guernsey) Law, 1989 (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025.

I have read through the list of new offences in the Amendment and found nothing unreasonable.

This Amendment amends the Education (Guernsey) Law, 1970 to replace committees of management for primary and secondary schools with the governance boards proposed in the previous Assembly's P.2024/112 Education Governance Policy Letter.

Some members of the public and several Deputies have expressed concern that the Amendment lacks certain details, potentially creating governance boards with unclear responsibilities and authorities. They argue this could result in ineffective "talking shops" without real power. Consequently, some Deputies have lodged a sursis motivé to delay implementation so that any perceived lack can be addressed first.

The Committee for Education, Sport & Culture contends that establishing the governance boards should not be delayed. They assert that responsibilities and authorities which currently appear unclear will be clarified and defined as time goes by.

Having reviewed both the Amendment and the P.2024/112 Policy Letter, I conclude that concerns about governance boards becoming powerless "talking shops" due to initially undefined responsibilities are somewhat exaggerated.

The responsibilities and authorities of these boards should not be static from the outset. They must evolve and adapt to meet the rapidly changing requirements of education.

This means that currently defined responsibilities may need to be modified or replaced over time, making the concern about initial clarity less substantive.

Side Note:

Should key aspects of education be controlled centrally by government or delegated to governance boards?

My perspective is straightforward: it depends on competency. If the government demonstrates high competence, it should retain appropriate authority to manage education effectively. If government competence is lacking, then governance boards comprising community members should be empowered to make key educational decisions.

See explanation in P.2025/104 above.

This is simply to note (i.e. acknowledge) the Guernsey Financial Services Commission's 2024 annual report and accounts.

Key issues with the amendment...

1. Outdated Foundation:
   The original The Computer Misuse (Bailwick of Guernsey) Law, 1991 predates widespread internet use and modern digital infrastructure. While updates are needed, this amendment risks compounding existing flaws.
2. Overly Broad Language:
   The proposal could criminalise routine uses of web technologies and AI development tools. For example:
   • Ambiguous definitions of "recklessness" (in IT context)
   • Unintended liability for benign API usage
3. Chilling Effects:
   The "recklessness" standard is inappropriate for technical contexts. In practice, this could:
   • Deter IT firms from servicing Guernsey clients
   • Stifle innovation in our emerging tech sector
4. Missed Opportunity:
   Rather than patching a 34-year-old law, we need a completely new framework tailored to:
   • Modern cybercrime threats
   • Proportional liability for developers
   • Clear safe harbours for good-faith operators

In summary...

This amendment fails to balance security with innovation. Until these issues are addressed through proper consultation with our tech sector, I cannot support legislation that might:

• Criminalise ordinary IT operations
• Expose developers to frivolous litigation
• Further disadvantage Guernsey's digital economy

In fact, I used my maiden speech in parliament to address the issues and urged my colleagues to vote against the amendment.

Key issues with the amendment...

1. Illogical Distinction:
   The amendment maintains an illogical distinction between "domestic" knives (exempt) and, for example, historical blades (restricted):
   • Example: A 20cm kitchen knife can be sold to minors, while a 15cm Viking replica cannot
2. Unclear Applications:
   Fails to address, for example...
   • Carrying wooden training weapons for martial arts
   • Educational, historical, and martial arts websites (accessible to anybody) featuring arms (which may be for sale)
3. Practical Consequences:
   
   • Harms cultural heritage, history and martial arts groups
   • Creates traps for legitimate businesses
   • Diverts police resources

In summary...

This amendment:

• Wrongly prioritises optics by banning "scary-looking" items while ignoring real risks posed by domestic items (e.g. kitchen knives) that could equally be used as weapons
• Lacks clarity for educators, reenactors, martial arts practitioners and retailers

Every elected Member represents a distinct constituency voice. When that voice is silenced through resignation or incapacity, democratic integrity requires immediate replacement, not an arbitrary wait for multiple vacancies.

Key flaws in the proposal...

1. Democratic Deficit:
   • Leaves constituents unrepresented for extended periods
   • Concentrates power among remaining Members
2. False Economy:
   • Claims of cost savings ignore the real price of:
     • Reduced constituent services
     • Imbalanced Assembly representation
3. Better Solutions Exist:
   • Online/mail voting (which could cost significantly less than in-person voting)
   • Consolidated polling stations

In summary...

This reform:

• Prioritises convenience over democracy
• Misses modernisation opportunities (e.g. to use a byelection to test the viability of online voting)

This is simply to approve the schedule for the States' business for the 3rd of September 2025.

Key considerations for abstention...

1. Procedural Reality:
   This was effectively a retrospective vote on financial statements where:
   • The outcome wouldn't alter already-executed expenditures
   • No corrective mechanism existed for any identified issues
2. Conflicting Claims:
   Significant unresolved questions emerged during scrutiny:
   • Public concerns about omitted items in reporting
   • Policy & Resources' assertion of IPSAS compliance
3. Verification Challenge:
   The debate timeframe made proper due diligence impossible regarding:
   • Completeness of financial disclosures
   • Technical accounting standards application

In summary...

This abstention reflects principled caution rather than indifference. When:

• Material questions remain unanswered about financial reporting
• No practical remedy exists through the voting mechanism
• Technical verification requires more time than allocated

...the responsible position is to withhold endorsement while acknowledging the work done under current standards.

Key issues addressed by this motion...

1. Seniority-Pay Mismatch:
   The existing system creates an inconsistent standard where:
   • Committee Presidents face Assembly questioning, but
   • P&R Members (despite greater seniority and pay compared to an ordinary, non-president Deputy) do not
2. Transparency Imperative:
   Greater power and remuneration demand greater accountability through:
   • Clear articulation of policy priorities
   • Answers to Assembly concerns

In summary...

This change corrects a double standard in our scrutiny process:

• Seniority Principle: P&R Members direct island-wide policy - their appointments warrant greater scrutiny, not less
• Pay Transparency: Higher remuneration should correlate with stricter vetting
• Judgment Evaluation: Open questioning allows the Assembly to evaluate candidates' judgment