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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PRIVILEGES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE BY DEPUTY M.R. HIGGINS OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 12th APRIL 2016
Question
Would the Chairman advise members of the reasons for the delay in determining whether or not to uphold or dismiss the appeal of the States of Jersey Development Company against the summons issued by the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel who are seeking information about the International Finance Centre and will he further explain what changes, if any, the Committee will introduce to prevent such delays occurring in the future?
Answer
The appeal by the States of Jersey Development Company (SoJDC) against the summons issued by the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel has raised a number of complex points of law and parliamentary privilege. The Committee heard from representatives of SoJDC and the scrutiny panel on 14th January and decided to defer its decision pending receipt of submissions on points relating to human rights law.
The Committee met to consider those submission on 21st January, reached its decision and instructed H.M. Solicitor General to prepare a draft decision document which would set out in full the reasons for its decision. The Committee considered that it would be inappropriate and unhelpful to announce its decision without its full reasons, which address all of the legal points raised during the appeal, being made available at the same time. The time taken to prepare the draft decision document reflects the complexity of the subject matter and the importance of providing thorough and robust reasons for the Committee's decision.