Education will release info in full ‘if Scrutiny promises not to publish’

Attempts to hold a Scrutiny inquiry have reached an impasse after politicians and civil servants from both Education, Sport & Culture and Policy & Resources submitted redacted information due to data protection concerns.

Key figures in the dispute have not given their consent for their information to be handed over, which has halted the investigation.

The Scrutiny Management Committee will ask the States later this month for £150,000 for a tribunal of inquiry, which can cut through data protection, examine documents in public and compel witnesses to attend.

In September last year States members narrowly rejected plans for this type of full-blown inquiry and instead Scrutiny was left to deal with it under its existing powers.

Scrutiny president Chris Green is insistent that only a tribunal of inquiry will get to the truth and put a stop to claims of a cover-up.

Deputy Green wants the States to learn from the experience and get recommendations to stop it happening again.

‘We consider this is a matter of urgent public importance because of the significant amount of public and media comment on it – but it’s more than that, it is the reputation of the States at stake ultimately, and its reputation in terms of the procedural fairness of appointment processes.

‘The States owes it to the community that it serves to try to thrash out exactly what happened, get to the nub of the facts and circumstances of what happened, and learn from that and move on.’

Education, Sport & Culture became embroiled in allegations of political interference in the civil service over the appointment to the post of head of curriculum and standards.

A local primary head teacher initially accepted the job, but pulled out when it emerged that the recruitment panel had gone against the wishes of politicians. Eventually the candidate favoured by politicians was given the role.

The situation became public only when someone blew the whistle on alleged malpractice and political meddling and leaked a smoking gun email to the Guernsey Press.

Since the September vote, Deputy Green believes the dynamic in the Assembly has changed.

‘I’ve had specific members of the States who spoke against the proposition in September say to me that they would now support it, I detect that there’s been a movement.’

In response to the latest statement, ESC president Matt Fallaize said they have long wanted to submit all the documents with nothing edited out.

‘We submitted all documents to the Scrutiny Management Committee a couple of months ago.

‘They contained some redactions, mostly of personal data, because at that time that was what was required by the law.

‘In January, a new regulation was made and we received legal advice that it is now lawful to provide the SMC with all material relevant to the review in un-redacted form.’

However, Deputy Fallaize says that Scrutiny must first promise not to make the material public before Education will release it.

Deputy Green has pointedly called this ‘the second and final’ attempt to commission a tribunal of inquiry.