Deputy Susie Pinel said that she fully supported the calls for change, and especially the arguments being made by Deputies Louise Doublet and Jess Perchard.
‘It is totally ridiculous that a woman has to ask permission of the Comptroller to know about her own tax affairs. It is just a question of how quickly we can change the law. We will seek to do it as quickly as possible,’ said the minister.
‘It’s laughable, really, when you look at it. This needs to be changed.’
Deputy Pinel added: ‘I and Deputies Doublet and Perchard had a meeting with the Comptroller of Income Tax because both have been very insistent about this archaic system of tax for married women.
‘I quite agree with them and I promised them that it would be seen to.’
The minister explained that she did not have a definite time-frame for the change, because of the many issues that had to be resolved, but insisted that she wanted to see it ‘as soon as possible’.
Her comments have been welcomed by campaigners.
The minister spoke following a fresh invitation to Islanders to have their say as part of a consultation exercise looking at various aspects of the personal tax regime, which was launched in December. So far, more than 900 people have responded.
Among the issues on which comment is invited is the decades-old law which means that married women’s money belongs to their husbands for tax purposes.
This aspect of the current legislation, which was enacted in 1928 – less than a decade after women over 30 were given the vote – was in the spotlight again last week when Dame Janet Paraskeva, the chairwoman of the Jersey Appointments Panel, appeared before the Gender Pay Gap Review Panel.
She revealed that women had pulled out of the recruitment process for senior jobs in the public sector because of factors including child-care provision in the Island and the tax status of married women.
As has been reported, just one of the directors general appointed to serve under States chief executive Charlie Parker is female.
A statement issued by the States communications unit said: ‘The results of the consultation will help form the recommended changes that will be brought to the States Assembly as part of the Government Plan due to be lodged in the summer.’
Deputy Pinel added: ‘Over recent weeks and months, the personal income tax system has been the subject of repeated criticism. This is perhaps unsurprising, as the fundamental building blocks of the personal income tax system are largely unchanged since income tax was introduced in Jersey in 1928. Ninety years have elapsed since then, during which time society has changed beyond all recognition – unfortunately, our personal income tax system has not kept pace.
‘This consultation addresses some of the outdated issues, such as married women’s money belonging to their husbands – a concept we are looking to abolish. We hope that the results of this consultation will help towards a fundamental reform of personal income tax and shape a fairer and clearer regime for the future.
‘Deputies Doublet and Perchard have also raised serious concerns about this ‘archaic’ form of taxation. Their input has been very valuable.’
Anyone wishing to take part in the survey can do so by visiting gov.je.
