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2.1 Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier of St. Saviour of the Chairman of the Privileges and Procedures Committee regarding the outcome of recent investigations into a letter written by Senator S. Syvret:
What lessons have been learnt from the outcome of recent investigations into the letter written by Senator Syvret?
Connétable D.F. Gray of St. Clement (Chairman of the Privileges and Procedures
Committee):
A code of conduct came into force with the new Standing Orders in December 2005. Standing Orders set out very clear procedures that must be followed by P.P.C. (Privileges and Procedure Committee) when the complaint is received or when P.P.C. has information by any other means that lead the Committee to believe that the code might have been broken. As the code has now been in operation for just over a year, P.P.C. decided at its meeting last Wednesday that it wished to review its operation to see if any changes are needed or if additional guidelines for Members should be issued to ensure that there is a shared understanding of what should be involved with complying. P.P.C. would be grateful to receive comments from Deputy Le Hérissier or any other Member to assist with this review.
- Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier:
Would the President confirm that there is perhaps some ambiguity in the code insofar as complaints received via phone calls, the callers of whose names have apparently been forgotten, might not be a solid basis upon which to proceed?
The Connétable of St. Clement :
I will draw the Deputy 's attention to 2 articles of the code, one which definitely states that if the Committee has knowledge that there is a breach of the code - not a complaint, a complaint does not have to be received - if the Committee has the knowledge that a breach could have occurred, then it is obligatory of the Committee to proceed with an investigation.
- Deputy R.G. Hérissier:
Would the President confirm that there has been an irretrievable breakdown in relations insofar as the complainant defined the Committee as a bunch of Nazis and a group of silly, old men? Would he say that, therefore, the foundations for a good working relationship no longer exist? [Laughter]
The Connétable of St. Clement :
In the report that was issued about this complaint, I think you will find that the Committee answered that question.
Senator S. Syvret:
Could I, on a point of clarification, say that I did not call the Committee a bunch of Nazis? I said that trying to silence people's free speech was the kind of thing that one might expect of Nazi or Communist regimes. I think there is a subtle difference.
[Laughter]
- Senator S. Syvret:
I just have a supplementary question to the Chairman. Will he buy a copy of my book when it
comes out?
The Connétable of St. Clement :
It just depends whether it is affordable, Sir.