Guernsey Press

Scrutiny decides not to hold snap hearing

SCRUTINY has decided against a snap hearing into the Home Affairs governance saga as other political developments – including a likely motion of no confidence – take shape.

Published
Scrutiny management Committee president Chris Green and president of Home Affairs Committee Mary Lowe, pictured in 2016. (25197045)

The Scrutiny Management Committee met yesterday and discussed the report by Professor Staite. ‘We understand that there will be an update statement from the president of the Committee for Home Affairs followed by questions in the States next week and it also seems likely that there might well be a motion of confidence in [Home Affairs] soon,’ said Scrutiny president Chris Green.

‘Given the other parliamentary activity on this subject, it was decided that an urgent business review or snap hearing was not deemed appropriate.

‘However, the SMC notes that [Home Affairs] have accepted the recommendations of the Staite report, even if they don’t accept the content of it. That is somewhat similar to the committee’s stance after the HMIC report.

‘Therefore the SMC is keen to do a hearing or review later on this year to assess what genuine progress has been made on the recommendations of both reports. We would also add that the written comments made by myself after the public hearing with [Home Affairs] in December 2018 are still very pertinent.’

Professor Staite wrote that the committee ignored evidence, lacked transparency and integrity, undermined trust, and created a hostile atmosphere.

Both deputies Rob Prow and Richard Graham, who resigned from the committee while offering the president Mary Lowe their support, will make personal statement’s at the start of Wednesday’s States meeting.

An election for those vacated posts will also take place.

Policy & Resources has asked Deputy Lowe to resign, saying that her response in accepting the recommendations but not the report’s contents was unsustainable and incoherent.

The two other members of Home Affairs, Deputies Marc Leadbeater and Victoria Oliver, have supported Deputy Lowe.