Deputy Louise Doublet, who brought the proposal to the House, argued it was unacceptable that States Members needed to provide often personal details about their absence to the Assembly beforehand and that fellow Members could question that reason and even debate and then vote on whether to allow the absence. If the Assembly does not agree to an absence a Member is marked as ‘en défaut’ – or absent without excuse.
She said such a situation, in cases of someone attending antenatal appointments or where someone had recently given birth or their partner had, was wrong.
Instead, the Deputy proposed that being excused for parental-care reasons be put on an equal footing as being excused for being absent on States business.
She said Members needed to show they were putting young children first in their own lives as well as on the political stage.
Deputy Lindsay Ash welcomed the move but said there were many other personal reasons which should be considered in a similar way. Deputy Rowland Huelin agreed and added: ‘I totally see the logic behind this but I think it is just a little bit narrow.’
The proposition was approved by 34 votes to seven with one abstention. The Members who voted against were Deputies Gregory Guida and Rowland Huelin and Constables Len Norman, Chris Taylor, Mike Jackson and John Le Bailly. Senator Sarah Ferguson abstained.
