Corruption allegations (FOI)

Request

Back in March 2018 Deputy Mike Higgins was quoted in the Media as saying that 'Corruption is a Cancer in Public Sector’.

The Deputy then went on to threaten to expose cases publicly unless the Attorney General took his claims seriously.

I would therefore like to know as a matter of Public Interest whether there are any claims by Deputy Mike Higgins about alleged Corruption in the Public Sector that are either ongoing or have been dismissed as ambiguous since his statement?

I would also like to know whether Deputy Mike Higgins, as an elected States Member, has ever been advised in training about the consequences of any Politician attempting to publicly meddle in an ongoing criminal investigation in order not to jeopardise any trial?

Response

In the past five years, the States of Jersey Police have received no allegations under:

Art. 7 Corruption (Jersey) Law 2006 - corruption by a public official or any allegation of Misconduct in Public Office, under common law.

The following has been provided by the States Greffe:

We don’t hold information on whether Deputy Higgins has specifically received training “about the consequences of any politician attempting to publicly meddle in an ongoing criminal investigation in order not to jeopardise any trial”.

Induction programmes are provided for States members immediately after each election. Those programmes include briefings by the Law Officers and (from the States Greffe) briefings on the members’ Code of Conduct. This was the case after Deputy Higgins was first elected in 2008.

There are provisions in Standing Orders which govern the subjects members can talk about in debates and what they can ask questions about. They cannot ask questions on matters that are sub judice and they cannot refer to cases in a court in a way that might prejudice the case.