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About Hansard

The Official Report known as "Hansard" is named after the family who established a reporting and publication system for the House of Commons in the early 19th century. (Get the full story at www.commonwealth-hansard.org)

The Official Hansard Report of the Cayman Islands is an impartial, accurate and permanent record of parliamentary proceedings the decisions that were taken, the policies adopted, and the passage of legislation. It is a chronicle of history.

The Official Hansard Report is often used inside and outside the Legislative Assembly. For example, law firms and courts may make reference to Hansard, particularly if there is ambiguity in legislation.

Accuracy and impartiality are the hallmarks of Hansard. As Speaker Boothroyd said when opening the Commonwealth Hansard Editors Association Conference in 1996:
"Behind change lies an unchangeable requirement on you all: the challenge and responsibility to maintain your traditional standards of accuracy and impartiality. That is crucial because accuracy and impartiality are the halmarks of Hansard. Whatever changes come along, parliamentarians all of us look to you to hold fast to those guiding principles."

Last Updated: 2007-08-27