MINISTERIAL government moved another step closer today with the publication of the law that lays out how the Island will be governed from 2006.

The States of Jersey Law 200- has been sent to States Members for consultation ahead of its lodging, and will be followed by revisions to the Standing Orders of the States.It removes the power of dissent from the Bailiff and the veto of the Lieutenant Governor and, in a break from previous agreements, the law includes the power for the States to debate no-confidence motions in individual ministers.It has been agreed before that any no-confidence motions could only be in the Council of Ministers as a whole, but after discussions between the Privileges and Procedures Committee – who have presented the law – and the Policy and Resources Committee, it was agreed that motions in respect of individual ministers and assistant ministers will be included.The Bailiff’s dissent is an ability to declare the States incompetent to debate a particular issue, and the veto of the Lieut-Gov concerns only States business that affects the special interest of the Crown in Jersey.

Neither have been regularly used or exercised in recent years.The draft law also lays down the provision for an executive of nine ministers and nine assistant ministers.