Present but Absent without Leave

While politicians are to be commended for being present at the start of the day, when the roll call of who is present is taken, that is not the whole picture. Some of us with long memories will remember a former politician (whom I won't name) who was often present so not "en default" at the start of a States sitting, but then would bunk off to their business on a fairly frequent basis. It's a bit like being present at the start of the school day, to be there for the register, but then to play truant.

Politicians can be absent from the States Chamber, for example for personal reasons or for official business, but that is legitimate and recorded accordingly. Just missing a vote by being absent from the Chamber - "not present" - essentially either not bothering to be there, or being lax and failing to arrange official absence - is also as important as being "en default". While emergencies can mean sometimes it is not possible to arrange absence from a vote, or sickness may come within a States sitting (it is recorded at the start), this cannot account for more than a small number of instances.

So here are some of the figures. These politicians turn up for roll call - they are never "en default" - but that doesn't mean their record of attendance is spotless, especially where larger numbers are concerned and the emergency random element cannot have happened every time.

Present but Absent without Leave:
States Sittings - 2014-February 2018

Never "En Default" but sometimes "not present for vote".

Graham John Truscott	1
Michel Philip Sydney Le Troquer	1
Jeremy Martin Macon	4
Robert David Johnson	6
Terence Alexander McDonald	7
Andrew Kenneth Francis  Green M.B.E.	23
Tracey Anne Vallois	29
Samuel Yves Mezec	33
John Edward Le Maistre	38
Jacqueline Ann Hilton	44
Ian Joseph Gorst	45
Christopher Hugh Taylor	50
Peter Derek McLinton	51
Kevin Charles Lewis	53
John Alexander Nicholas Le Fondre	67
Juliette Gallichan	68
Louise Mary Catherine  Doublet	86
Leonard Norman	87
Lyndon John Farnham	96