Politics
Tynwald to be Asked to Form Committee
Mrs Chrisitian will seek leave to introduce a supplementary order paper
Douglas South MHK Claire Christian is to ask her fellow Tynwald members to appoint a committee to investigate the gov’s handling of the Dr Ranson litigation.
Mrs Chrisitian will seek leave to introduce a supplementary order paper and ask members to establish a committee of five to investigate the matter.
As well as the handling of the Dr Ranson case, Mrs Christian also want the committee to investigate the gov’s performance, culture and decision-making, improvements required to HR practices within gov as a result of the proceedings and other issues arising from the Ranson litigation.
The order continues: ‘Tynwald expects the Council of Ministers, the Cabinet Office and the Department of Health and Social Care to waive legal professional privilege so as to allow all relevant legal advice, including the advice of the Attorney General and his Chambers, to be provided to the Committee.’
However, the committee would not look at the merits of any decision by any court or tribunal or any decision about the Government’s response to the Covid pandemic which was made before 1st April 2022, other than a decision directly linked to the handling of the Ranson litigation.
As has been widely reported this week, Dr Rosalind Ranson was awarded £3.2m in compensation after a tribunal found she has been unfairly dismissed from her role as Medical Director and was subject to bullying and harassment after making protected disclosures to senior civil servants and two ministers.
The full supplementary order paper reads:
DOUGLAS Tuesday 16th May 2023 at 10.30 am
- Suspension of Standing Orders
The Hon. Member for Douglas South, Mrs Christian, to move –
That Standing Orders 2.4(1) and 10.12A(4) be suspended to allow item 2 on the Supplementary Order Paper to be taken.
- Select Committee on the handling of the Ranson litigation
The Hon. Member for Douglas South, Mrs Christian, to move –
That –
(a) a Select Committee of five Members be established to consider and report, subject to paragraph (b), on –
- (i) the handling by the Government of the Equality and Employment Tribunal case of Dr Rosalind Ranson v Department of Health and Social Care and the associated High Court proceedings;
- (ii) Government performance, culture and decision-making;
- (iii) improvements required to HR practices within Government as a result of the proceedings;
(iii) other issues arising from the Ranson litigation;
- (b) there shall be excluded from the Select Committee’s remit any consideration of the merits of –
- (i) any decision by any court or tribunal; and
- (ii) any decision about the Government’s response to the Covid pandemic which was made before 1st April 2022, other than a decision directly linked to the handling of the Ranson litigation;
- (c) Tynwald expects the Council of Ministers, the Cabinet Office and the Department of Health and Social Care to waive legal professional privilege so as to allow all relevant legal advice, including the advice of the Attorney General and his Chambers, to be provided to the Committee;
- (d) the Select Committee should submit a report to Tynwald by the last day of May 2024.
