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2.11 Deputy T.M. Pitman of the Chairman of the Privileges and Procedures Committee regarding complaints from the public relating to alleged data protection breaches involving the Assistant Chief Minister:
Will the Chairman clarify whether the Committee has thus far had any contact or complaints from the public, relating to alleged data protection breaches involving the Assistant Chief Minister, reading documents identifying the victim and the alleged abuser in the Dean of Jersey suspension of commission case?
The Connétable of St. Helier (Chairman, Privileges and Procedures Committee):
The Privileges and Procedures Committee does not comment publicly on whether allegations have been made against individual States Members regarding possible breaches of the Code of Conduct for elected Members. In accordance with Standing Order 1571 P.P.C. (Privileges and Procedures Committee) does notify the relevant Member without undue delay whenever it is satisfied that it has information suggesting that the Member may have acted in breach of the Code of Conduct. Where appropriate, the committee notifies the Assembly of the outcome of any investigation in accordance with standing orders 1582 and 1583
- Deputy T.M. Pitman:
Given that some of the material appeared, according to the member of the public, to originate from police sources, should the Chairman not be investigating under what mandate this material was obtained?
The Connétable of St. Helier :
P.P.C. does not investigate matters regarding the Code of Conduct unless it receives a complaint, as I have said in my answer.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
Has the Committee issued a notice that it is aware that a complaint has been made? The Connétable of St. Helier :
I believe I have already answered this question. The committee does not comment on whether allegations have been made against individual Members or not regarding the Code of Conduct.
- Deputy T.M. Pitman:
Perhaps the Chairman can advise: is it a breach of either the Code of Conduct or data protection, that a States Member has revealed, if inadvertently, outside the privilege of this Chamber, the identity of both a victim and an alleged abuser, which is now in the public domain? Not, I should point out, thanks to the citizens' media, who sensibly anonymised all those details.
The Connétable of St. Helier :
I do not think it would be appropriate for me to comment on that question, given that if there were to be a complaint on this matter, the P.P.C. would have to act impartially in dealing with it. So I am not really prepared to be drawn into commenting about a hypothetical matter.