States Meeting Summary 8 December
States Assembly
8 December 2025
Question TimeQuestions with notice
The Meeting started with Question Time, with Ministers answering States Members’ questions with notice.
Skip to page 12 of the Order Paper to find out which questions were asked and watch from 9 minutes into this morning’s recording to hear questions with notice in full.
Questions without notice
States Members then asked the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce; Minister for External Relations, Deputy Ian Gorst; and Chief Minister, Deputy Lyndon Farnham questions without notice for 15 minutes each.
Skip 1 hour and 4 minutes into this morning’s recording to hear questions without notice in full.
Appointment
Deputy Beatriz Porée was appointed as a member of the Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel.
Skip 1 hour and 50 minutes into this morning’s recording to hear the nomination in full.
Public Business
At the start of Public Business, the Council of Ministers proposed P.70 Proposed Budget (Government Plan) 2026-2029. These are the proposals for how Ministers intend to spend public money, and how to raise income, over the next year.
35 amendments have been lodged by Scrutiny panels and individual States members to the plans, along with several amendments to amendments. Nine of the amendments were accepted by the Council of Ministers, and one was withdrawn on the floor.
The amendments that have been accepted are: 3, 6, 9, 10, 12, 16, 19, 20, 24. Amendment 7 was withdrawn.
Skip 1 hour and 55 minutes into this morning’s recording to watch the discussion regarding the amendments, and the opening statement from the Minister for Treasury and Resources, Deputy Elaine Millar.
The amendments were then debated in an order based on where they appear in relation to the text of the proposition.
P.70 Proposed Budget: Amendment 4 – Grants to States Funds
Deputy Sir Philip Bailhache proposed an amendment to reduce withdrawals from the Social Security Fund by one half and re-base the States Grant at £75million and not £50million.
The amendment identifies the Strategic Reserve Fund as the alternative source of funding but is aimed at encouraging Government to review its spending.
The States Assembly voted to REJECT Deputy Bailhache’s amendment with 15 votes for, 25 votes against and 3 abstentions.
Skip 2 hours and 18 minutes into this morning’s recording for the start of the debate, and from the beginning of this afternoon’s recording for the conclusion.
You can view how Members voted on our website.
P.70 Proposed Budget: Amendment 15 – Removal of 3% Stamp Duty Surcharge
Deputy David Warr proposed an amendment which would remove the current higher rate Stamp Duty surcharge on the sale of second homes in 2026, for one year.
The States Assembly voted REJECT Deputy Warr’s amendment with 2 votes for, 42 votes against and 0 abstentions.
Skip 50 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
You can view how Members voted on our website.
P.70 Proposed Budget: Amendment 13 – Fort Regent
Deputy Sir Philip Bailhache proposed an amendment which would prevent the Government borrowing the initial £43million needed for the Fort Regent redevelopment, or the Phase 2 estimate of £67million.
The States Assembly voted to REJECT Deputy Bailhache’s amendment with 10 votes for, 32 votes against and 0 abstentions.
Skip 1 hour and 20 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the debate in full.
You can view how Members voted on our website.
P.70 Proposed Budget: Amendment 32 – Environment Department funding
The Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel proposed an amendment which would restore the Environment Department’s Budget to its 2025 levels and not subject it to a cut of £656,000 for 2026.
Skip 2 hours and 39 minutes into this afternoon’s recording to watch the beginning of this debate.
The Assembly adjourned before a vote could take place, and as such the debate will resume at tomorrow (Tuesday 9 December) morning’s sitting.
Adjournment
The States Assembly then adjourned and will reconvene at 9:30am tomorrow, Tuesday 9 December, to resume the debate on the proposed Government Budget.
