DEPUTIES and former States members yesterday questioned the timing of Treasury minister Charles Parkinson’s announcement that he intends to quit the States at the end of this term, which still has three years left to run.

Other experienced members are likely to follow his decision not to stand again – Housing minister Dave Jones (pictured) is one who will be considering his own future carefully.

Deputy Parkinson’s announcement that he would leave for a mixture of personal and political reasons came after his department was soundly beaten over its plans to borrow £175m. to help fund the capital programme.

Last term, he quit as a member of Treasury after his alternative proposal to zero-10 was rejected.

‘I’m not overly surprised, but slightly surprised he’s chosen to announce it three years before the next election,’ said Deputy Matt Fallaize, who led the opposition to Treasury’s borrowing plans.

‘I have a lot of time for Deputy Parkinson; he’s done a lot of good and continues to during his time in the States, but nobody is indispensable.

‘The States has lost quite a lot of senior politicians over the last couple of elections, people with lots of years of service, and you sometimes think, “will the States go on?” – Roger Berry, John Langlois, Peter Roffey, Laurie Morgan – but you get a new generation of politicians coming through.’

He added that Deputy Parkinson had a big job ahead of him.