Casdon
Thanks very much Maerion, it’s good to understand that there’s a formal process and how it works. It doesn’t seem to mention the handover of caseload, unless I missed that?
If there is an offical handover protocol between old and new MP, it isn’t clear to me. The most important issue is confidentiality and data protection which we can see from another current discussion is not something Reform care about.
What I have found it is this:
www.parliament.uk/globalassets/about-parliament/general-election/members_standing_redacted_-1.pdf
After Parliament has been dissolved:
Casework
33. You may continue to deal with urgent, time-sensitive constituency casework but must ensure any correspondence makes clear you are not a current Member of Parliament, or working for one.
34. It is for Members to make a judgement on whether casework should be considered urgent. Urgent casework may include emergency social welfare or safeguarding cases, or ongoing cases with upcoming appeal deadlines.
39. The proper disposal and handling of casework and records you hold in your capacity as a Member must be carefully considered when you cease to be a Member of Parliament following dissolution. This includes electronic as well as hard copy information.
40. It is strongly recommended you continue to use parliamentary systems for any urgent casework. You are advised not to transfer personal data, or information that should be held securely for other reasons, from parliamentary systems onto other systems unless you are confident you are transferring it securely in line with your legal responsibilities as the controller, and that the systems you intend to use are suitably secure.
Page 28: Particularly if there is an increased likelihood of a change of Member, consider providing options for constituents with ongoing or likely to be reopened cases regarding what they want to happen to their casefile in the event that you are not returned.
Personally, I would be very unhappy at the thought of any Reform MP dealing with matters which are private and confidential. Their conduct, particularly their media and social media behaviour over these last few weeks has been shocking. They appear to act as a mob both in (as anyone who watches Parliamentlive.tv will have seen) and out of the HoC.
This is an interesting document from 2018 about MPs’ outside interests published by the Committee on Standards in Public Life
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5b3b2ba340f0b645fd5921f8/CSPL_MPs__outside_interests_-_full_report.PDF
Note the graphic on page 21 reproduced here:
Presenting views through the media and furthering personal and career interests are seen as least important. I suggest the complete reverse is true of Reform and therein lies the problem.
