House Speaker Stanley Lowe today reversed a previous statement which appeared to ban questions to Ministers from an old Parliament.

In the House of Assembly this morning he said matters from an old Parliament, such as questions, can be resubmitted.

He said it was unfortunate that members did not know this and he attacked a press release from Cabinet which had started the confusion about a rule change.

Mr. Lowe added: “Even more unfortunate was a most extraordinary press release from the Cabinet Office which left the mistaken impression that the Speaker had approved such a release and also unwittingly brought into question the independence and integrity of the Speaker’s Office.”

Mr. Lowe's statement in full this morning was:

“A few weeks ago I had the opportunity of meeting around a table with a group of five Bermudians as part of a focus session.

“During the discussions I was asked ‘What do you do as your role as Speaker? What are your duties as Speaker?’ Of course what has happened during the past week clearly drives home in a very dramatic fashion the significant role of the Speaker – not for the many times he gets it right but for the one odd occasion he may get it wrong.

“This could not have been even better orchestrated by myself, had I done so. Parliamentary questions regarding ministerial travel, I had carefully considered the matter of parliamentary questions put by members of the Opposition regarding overseas travel by Government Ministers.

“The questions submitted by honourable members were all recycled from the old parliament and had included matters pertaining to the travel of new ministers. This is clearly not permitted.

“As a general principle dissolution of Parliament brings an end to all legislative and other proceedings pending in parliament such that all items for consideration before the House are squashed.

“The standing rules of this House and in parliaments in other jurisdictions would prohibit a new parliament from revisiting certain issues already dealt with in a previous parliament.

“It was most unfortunate that this was not well communicated to members and particularly new members seeking to put questions on matters arising from the last parliament and our own procedure may have not been properly applied.

“Even more unfortunately a most extraordinary press release issued from the Cabinet Office left the mistaken impression that the Speaker of the House had approved such a release and also unwittingly brought into question the independence and integrity of the Speaker’s office.

* For the full story and reaction see tomorrow’s Royal Gazette.