Attorney General's Chambers
34 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 100.0%
The Freedom of Information requests to the Isle of Man Attorney General's Chambers reveal an authority that is highly responsive to specific, factual queries regarding staffing, software costs, and high-profile charity oversight, yet systematically opaque regarding policy formulation, legal aid reform, and the evidentiary basis of criminal law. A recurring theme is the 'information not held' response, particularly concerning prosecution statistics (cases 379034, 2264429) and the scientific justification for drug scheduling (case 1623265), which suggests a fragmented data infrastructure where the AG's Chambers does not centrally aggregate operational policing data. However, this opacity is not absolute; the authority has been compelled to release sensitive contract details regarding legislative drafting (case 3992277) and has disclosed significant financial data on legal costs for defending public officials (cases 2021153, 2441298), indicating that while policy documents are often shielded by privilege or claimed non-existence, financial trails are increasingly visible.
Key Cases
Case 3992277 — This case represents a significant victory for transparency where the Information Commissioner overruled the Attorney General's Chambers' blanket refusal to release contracts with 'SEA PEGASUS DRAFTING SERVICES,' forcing the disclosure of cost-benefit analyses and unredacted contracts regarding legislative drafting.
Case 1216681 — Highlights a major conflict of interest in 'Operation Braid' involving former AG John Quinn. The authority confirmed the involvement of a UK barrister but successfully withheld specific details of the conflict under FOI exemptions, raising questions about accountability in high-level fraud investigations.
Case 4714237 — Provides concrete evidence of regulatory friction with King William's College, disclosing significant delays and re-submissions of annual accounts from 2021-2023, contrasting with the authority's frequent 'information not held' responses in other charity-related requests.
Case 1623265 — A notable refusal where the AG's Chambers admitted they do not hold the scientific or legislative foundation evidence justifying the classification of cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug, exposing a potential gap in the evidentiary basis for current drug laws.
Case 2374877 — Involves a partial upholding of a request for a legal aid review report by the late AG John Quinn. The authority refused release citing 'future publication' exemptions, arguing that premature disclosure would compromise policy formulation, a controversial stance on internal reviews.
Related FOI Stories
Legal Aid and Public Defence Scrutiny — #379139, #2374877, #2176273, #2176274, #2221316
High-Profile Litigation and Settlement Costs — #2021153, #2009761, #2441298, #2603077, #2374877
Criminal Justice Statistics and Drug Policy — #379034, #2264429, #1623265, #3937873, #3937874
Charity Regulation and Financial Oversight — #1746173, #3086365, #4714237, #4749973, #3984737
Legislative Drafting and External Contractors — #3356165, #3992277, #2572689, #1722493
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-06 | government powers/ legislation on unfinished building sites | Information not held |
| 2025-05-22 | emergency power legislation 2020 | Information not held |
| The applicant requested confirmation regarding 2020 emergency power legislation updates and the legal use of end-of-life drugs like Midazolam on the Isle of Man. The Attorney General's Chambers refused to provide legal advice, citing that the information was not held, but directed the applicant to public legislation websites and specific acts for self-research. | ||
| 2025-05-20 | Parking Prosecutions | Information not held |
| A request for 10-year statistics on parking prosecutions and summonses was refused by the Attorney General's Chambers because they do not hold the information. The authority advised the requester to submit the query to the Department of Infrastructure instead. | ||
| 2024-06-24 | Amount of currently incarcerated | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Attorney General's Chambers for statistics on individuals currently incarcerated in Jurby Prison for various cannabis-related offences. The authority refused the request under section 11(3)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015, stating they do not hold the information and advised contacting the Department of Home Affairs instead. | ||
| 2024-06-24 | Licenses lost due to drug wipe failure | Information not held |
| The requester asked for statistics on driver suspensions due to roadside drug wipe failures since November 2018, specifically regarding cannabis. The Attorney General's Chambers refused the request, stating they do not hold the information and advised contacting the Isle of Man Constabulary instead. | ||
| 2024-04-09 | Lexis Nexis | Information not held |
| 2024-03-18 | Current statistics for 2023 on violent crime | Information not held |
| 2024-03-12 | redundancies | Information not held |
| 2024-02-20 | specific email awareness | Information not held |
| 2024-02-13 | Data regarding arrests made of adolescents for substance misuse | Information not held |
| 2023-11-15 | Trials vacated due to delay in receiving medical reports | Information not held |
| A request was made for data on criminal trials vacated due to delays in receiving medical reports from Manx Care for 2021-2023. The Attorney General's Chambers refused the request, stating they do not hold the information. | ||
| 2023-10-11 | Unclaimed Manx Residents in U.K. | Information not held |
| The requester asked about the policy for repatriating or handling the remains of unclaimed Manx residents who die in the UK. The Attorney General's Chambers responded that they do not hold this information and suggested contacting the Cabinet Office instead. | ||
| 2023-09-12 | PIN for at least 20 MW of onshore renewables | Information not held |
| A request was made for details of respondents and proposals regarding a 2020 PIN for at least 20 MW of onshore renewables, but the Attorney General's Chambers refused the request stating the information is not held. | ||
| 2023-07-19 | Earystane & Scards, Sulby & Druidale | Information not held |
| A request was made for all documents regarding proposed onshore wind farms at Earystane, Scards, Sulby, and Druidale, but the Attorney General's Chambers responded that they do not hold the information. | ||
| 2023-06-01 | cannabis cases | Information not held |
| 2022-10-27 | top secret clause contracts | Information not held |
| 2022-09-16 | all payments to Expol | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Attorney General's Chambers for a list of all payments to the supplier Expol from the 2010/11 financial year to date. The authority responded that no such information is held because no payments have ever been made to this supplier. | ||
| 2022-09-09 | Unpublished Responses to FOIA Requests | Information not held |
| The requester asked for copies of unpublished Freedom of Information Act responses from the Attorney General's Chambers since the Act's introduction. The authority responded that the information is not held because all such requests have already been published on the official Disclosure Log. | ||
| 2022-08-12 | Legal advice | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Attorney General's Chambers for legal advice regarding the legality of charging for quarantine and using the Comis Hotel as detention in 2020. The authority responded that the information was not held and refused the request under section 11(3)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2022-08-11 | Legal advice | Information not held |
| A request was made for legal advice sought by the Cabinet Office in 2020 regarding quarantine charges and the use of the Comis Hotel as a detention facility. The Attorney General's Chambers responded that they do not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2022-06-16 | G Vernon | Information not held |
| A request was made for the costs associated with aborted and cancelled trials regarding credit balance theft charges against Mr G Vernon. The Attorney General's Chambers refused the request, stating the information is not held because no verdicts have been reached and costs have not been determined. | ||
| 2022-01-06 | invest to save funding re legal aid project | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the approved business case regarding the 'Invest to Save' legal aid project, but the Attorney General's Chambers responded that the information is not held by them. | ||
| 2021-06-24 | joint insurance scheme and corruption | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Attorney General's Chambers about concerns regarding the Isle of Man Law Society's compulsory insurance policy potentially discouraging whistleblowing and contradicting corruption definitions. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information and confirmed that no such concerns have been notified to the Attorney General. | ||
| 2021-05-27 | Process for reviewing legislations that are in contradiction | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the specific process to review contradictory legislation on the Isle of Man, but the Attorney General's Chambers stated they do not hold a written document outlining such a process. Instead, the authority provided a detailed explanation of the drafting practices and legal principles used to manage legislative contradictions. | ||
| 2021-01-14 | public sector settlements | Information not held |
| The requester asked for detailed explanations, statistics, and policy documents regarding public sector private settlements, including factors like reputational risk and non-disclosure agreements. The Attorney General's Chambers refused to provide this information, stating it does not hold the data and that fulfilling the request would require substantial research and analysis not mandated by the Freedom of Information Act. | ||
| 2021-01-07 | FOI request for foundation evidence | Information not held |
| A requester asked the Attorney General's Chambers for scientific and legislative foundation evidence justifying the classification of cannabis as a Schedule 1 controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1976. The authority responded that the requested information is not held and cannot be found after taking reasonable steps. | ||
| 2019-10-21 | Attorney General | Information not held |
| A request was made to determine if the Attorney General could practice privately using Law Society insurance. The authority responded that the information is not held because the recruitment of the Attorney General is administered by the Cabinet Office. | ||
| 2019-03-08 | Qualifications of Crown Officers | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Attorney General's Chambers regarding the character checks and moral standards for appointing Crown Officers. The authority responded that the information is not held, noting that recruitment is conducted by the Cabinet Office on behalf of the Queen. | ||
| 2019-02-18 | How many times has the human rights law been used in the isle of man? | Information not held |
| 2019-01-09 | The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation | Information not held |
| A request was made for details on donations and allocations by the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation, but the Attorney General's Chambers responded that they do not hold this information. | ||
| 2018-08-17 | Contempt of Court Bill | Information not held |
| 2018-05-29 | Equality before and under the Law | Information not held |
| The requester asked if specific public officials and law administrators in the Isle of Man are subject to the law, requesting a simple answer. The Attorney General's Chambers confirmed that all listed individuals are indeed subject to the laws of the Isle of Man. | ||
| 2018-04-18 | Legal Advice to Remove Electors from Register | Information not held |
| A request was made for legal advice provided prior to April 2015 regarding the removal of electors from the Register of Electors under the Registration of Electors Act 2006. The Attorney General's Chambers responded that no written record of this information is held. | ||
| 2018-03-16 | Prosecutions under sections 71 and 72 of the Criminal Code 1872 | Information not held |
| A request was made for prosecution statistics under specific sections of the Criminal Code 1872 and the Infanticide and Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1938, but the Attorney General's Chambers stated they do not hold this information. | ||