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2.16 Senator S. Syvret of the Chief Minister regarding the enquiry being undertaken by Mr Andrew Williamson:
Will the Chief Minister inform the Assembly whether his office is conflicted from any administrative involvement in the inquiry being undertaken by Mr. Andrew Williamson? Whether all communications from members of the public intended for Mr. Williamson going via the Chief Minister's Department are passed to Mr. Williamson and whether he is aware of any potential witnesses who have not received a response from Mr. Williamson?
Senator F.H. Walker (The Chief Minister):
This is very similar of course to Deputy Baudains' question. Mr. Williamson is provided with an office and a personal assistant on the fifth floor of Cyril Le Marquand House. He also has an email address on the States email system. He is in daily contact with the office and all correspondence, whether email or telephone messages, are passed on without delay. Visitors are sent from reception direct to his office, or if they wish to meet elsewhere appropriate arrangements are made. Any meetings are arranged by Mr. Williamson. Neither I nor the Chief Executive nor our staff, other than Mr. Williamson's personal assistant, are aware of when appointments are made nor when people come to see him. He has also given a small number of States Members, including Senator Syvret, his personal home email and telephone numbers. Mr. Williamson has confirmed that he keeps a thorough record of all contacts and discussions. He keeps all of his files and notes at his home and they are confidential to him. Mr. Williamson has also confirmed that all contacts are passed on to him and that he follows up on each of them. There are currently 2 people who he is still trying to reach after their initial contact. In both cases he will see or talk to them if they agree. In both cases he has confirmed that he has returned calls but has not yet made personal contact. As I already stated in my answer to Deputy Baudains' question, Sir, Mr. Williamson placed an advertisement yesterday in the Jersey Evening Post inviting anyone who wants to contact him to do so and other advertisements will be appearing. Anyone wishing to contact him will also be able to use his direct work contacts or to go via the Greffier of the States if they wish to do so.
- Senator S. Syvret:
Does the Chief Minister really believe that it is appropriate for his department to be the contact point for Mr. Williamson's inquiry? Should Mr. Williamson's inquiry not be completely independent of any States executive department?
Senator F.H. Walker :
The point is, do all inquiries reach Mr. Williamson independently and does he deal with them independently, and the answer confirmed by Mr. Williamson himself is a most emphatic yes.
- Senator S. Syvret:
That was not an answer to the question that I posed. I repeat the question, which was in fact in my original question, will the Chief Minister inform the Assembly whether his office is conflicted from any administrative involvement in the inquiry being undertaken by Mr. Andrew Williamson? Will the Chief Minister please consider whether there is an appearance of conflict not only for his department but for any executive department of the States?
Senator F.H. Walker :
No, I do not. As I have already said, Mr. Williamson acknowledges that all inquiries are passed on to him. Anyone has the means of contacting him directly through email or if they want to through the Greffe. There is no conflict here. The administrative arrangements are working entirely to Mr. Williamson's satisfaction and, so far as I am aware, entirely to the satisfaction of all those who have sought to contact him.