CHIEF Minister Laurie Morgan has been accused of misleading the States over human rights for transsexuals. The accusation is contained in a booklet that has been sent to all deputies, highlighting the lack of action on recognition of the rights of transsexuals.

Entitled Human Rights in Guernsey. Fact or Fallacy? it was produced by an anonymous former resident.

She expresses concerns about a statement made to the House on 28 September in which Deputy Morgan said that there had been delays in completing human rights audits. All States departments were considered compliant, but areas of non-compliance from time to time emerged, especially through litigation, he said.

The author of the booklet claimed that the statement was grossly misleading, but Deputy Morgan has denied knowingly misleading the House.

Deputy Morgan later sent her a letter in December 2005 stating that until recently it had not been clear which department would lead proposals for gender recognition legislation, so no department could indicate that it was not compliant in that area.

‘What seems inescapable from all my correspondence is that from the autumn of 2002 until 6 May 2004 (when the new system of government took effect), it was the acknowledged responsibility of Advisory and Finance, under Deputy Morgan’s leadership,’ said the booklet’s author.

‘Since 6 May 2004, if departmental responsibility was not clear, it was the responsibility of the Policy Council, under Deputy Morgan, to determine and allocate that responsibility.’

The non-compliance had been known about for three years, she said, since rulings by the European Court of Human Rights relating to the UK.

‘I stand by my belief that Deputy Morgan’s statement of 28 September 2005 can reasonably be characterised as knowingly and grossly misleading, and that failure to correct it indicates a lack of honesty and integrity.’

A Policy Council spokesperson said: ‘The chief minister has entered into considerable correspondence with the author of the brochure regarding the allegation that he made a misleading statement in the States in September 2005. The chief minister strongly denies misleading the House, but it is clear the author of the brochure takes a different view.’