Attorney General's Chambers
113 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 30.1%
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
All (113)
Information not held (34) ·
All information sent (34) ·
Some information sent but not all held (16) ·
No information sent - all held but exempt (9) ·
Some information sent but part exempt (7) ·
Not upheld (5) ·
Not required to fulfill request (4) ·
Upheld - partial (2) ·
Upheld - full (1) ·
Request lapsed - requested information not provided (1) ·
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-09-16 | payments to M and P legal | All information sent |
| The request sought a list of payments made to M and P legal from the 2010/11 financial year to date. The Attorney General's Chambers disclosed that only one payment was made during this period, totaling £1,536 plus VAT for a court costs award in November 2011. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2022-09-05 | trainee lawyers | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a summary of trainee legal roles by division and year for the current and previous two financial years. The Attorney General's Chambers disclosed that only one trainee advocate was appointed during the 2020/21 financial year, with no other positions filled within the requested timeframe. | ||
| 2022-08-30 | Running costs Attourney Generals Office | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought wage costs for the Attorney General's Office and details regarding legal actions against Dr Ranson, including decision-making levels and total costs. The authority provided links to public accounts for wage data, clarified that litigation decisions rest with the client, and disclosed specific legal fees while citing exemptions for information already available online. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2022-08-09 | case management software, optional modules and associated costs | All information sent |
| The request sought detailed cost breakdowns for the Prescient+ case management system and information on digital systems used by the Attorney General's Chambers. The authority disclosed the specific first-year costs for the software, configuration, training, and support, though the response regarding Manx Care system access was cut off in the provided text. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2022-06-14 | case management system | Not upheld |
| The request sought details on digital systems used by the Attorney General's Chambers civil litigation team for case management. The authority disclosed a list of specific software applications including Prescient+, Egress, Microsoft Office Suite, Lexis/Nexis, Westlaw, and BigHand. | ||
| 2022-05-31 | General Gaol | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for the verdict on Christian Louie Lima, but the Attorney General's Chambers withheld the information under an absolute exemption because it is accessible through the Courts of Justice. | ||
| 2022-05-18 | Appeals against speeding convictions | All information sent |
| The requester asked for statistics on speeding conviction appeals over the last five years, specifically those due to incorrect signage. The Attorney General's Chambers responded that no such appeals have been lodged in that period and provided general information on the appeals process. | ||
| 2022-05-11 | Dr Rosalind Ranson | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the total bill for legal services related to the Dr Rosalind Ranson tribunal. The Attorney General's Chambers disclosed the total external fees paid and the internal hours spent by counsel, clarifying that internal time is not billed back to government departments. | ||
| 2022-04-07 | legal aid review report | Upheld - partial |
| A request was made for a legal aid review report written by the late AG John Quinn, which was refused under a qualified exemption for information intended for future publication. The authority determined that premature disclosure would compromise the Legal Aid Committee's ability to formulate fair policy without external influence. | ||
| 2022-03-09 | Job Titles etc | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request for job titles and salary maxima for all staff at the Attorney General's Chambers was partially fulfilled, disclosing a comprehensive list of roles and pay bands while withholding specific salary figures for certain positions. | ||
| 2022-02-14 | Cannabis prosecutions | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought statistics on cannabis prosecutions, verdicts, fines, and court costs on the Isle of Man since March 2019. The Attorney General's Chambers disclosed the number of offences committed for trial by jury and confirmed all resulted in guilty pleas, but refused to provide data on total prosecutions, fines, costs, and historical jury trials due to lack of records or excessive compilation effort. | ||
| 2022-01-28 | Benefit fraud prosecution costs | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought statistics on benefit fraud prosecutions, staff involvement, and costs over five years from the Attorney General's Chambers. The authority disclosed the number of prosecuted cases but refused to provide staff and cost data as it was not held. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2022-01-06 | legal costs reserve drawdowns | All information sent |
| The requester sought clarification on legal costs reserve drawdowns in the Isle of Man national accounts amid allegations of unlawful legal support schemes. The Attorney General's Chambers disclosed that the expenditure was £118,000 for the year ended 31 March 2021, primarily for external counsel in criminal proceedings and statutory representation for children in family court. | ||
| 2021-12-06 | IOM Law Society compulsory PII scheme transactions | All information sent |
| The requester asked for details on payments made by the Attorney General's Chambers regarding the IOM Law Society compulsory PII scheme for the 2020/21 financial year. The authority responded that no such payments were made because the insurance scheme applies only to members in private practice. | ||
| 2021-12-06 | professional body costs policy | All information sent |
| The request sought the professional body costs policy and total expenditure for the Attorney General's Chambers. The authority disclosed that it follows Civil Service Regulation G16 for subscriptions and provided a breakdown of payments made in the 2021/2022 financial period. | ||
| 2021-10-04 | Costs incurred in the Dr Tinwell court and employment tribunals | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the total costs incurred by the Attorney General's Chambers in Dr Tinwell's court and employment tribunal cases and confirmation of an out-of-court settlement. The authority disclosed that it does not record advocate time costs, noted a £10,000 cost order against the appellant, and confirmed the employment dispute was settled on confidential terms. | ||
| 2021-09-27 | Isle of Man Government Out of Court Settlements | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for total out-of-court settlement payments by government departments and internal disciplinary case details for the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) over five years. The AGC disclosed that it paid zero settlements on its own behalf and confirmed at least four disciplinary cases were contemplated, but refused to provide departmental breakdowns or specific disciplinary outcomes as this information is not held centrally. | ||
| 2021-09-23 | capped costs legal support | Request lapsed - requested information not provided |
| The requester asked for policies, statistics, and cost data regarding capped legal costs and settlement offers with non-disclosure agreements over six financial years. The Attorney General's Chambers refused to provide the information, citing that they do not hold the requested policy, the request lacked clarity, and fulfilling it would require excessive research and collation. | ||
| 2021-09-13 | data protection breach notifications | All information sent |
| The request sought monthly statistics on how often the Attorney General's Chambers contacted victims of sensitive data breaches over a 24-month period, along with details on apology policies and reporting strategies. The authority disclosed that only two breaches involving special category data occurred in that timeframe and clarified their policy on issuing apologies without requiring victims to quantify distress. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2021-04-12 | Information | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked four questions regarding Isle of Man law, including the status of Halsbury's Laws, court types, the Settlement Act, and private prosecution documentation. The Attorney General's Chambers provided information on Halsbury's Laws and the Settlement Act but declined to answer questions about court administration and private prosecution documentation, citing a policy against providing legal advice to the public. | ||
| 2021-04-12 | Number of Charities closing down | All information sent |
| The request sought the number of charities that ceased operating in the Isle of Man for 2019, 2020, and 2021. The Attorney General's Chambers disclosed the specific counts for each year, noting that some closures involved mergers or asset transfers rather than total dissolution. | ||
| 2021-03-25 | Attorney General and Independent Review Body for health care complaint | Upheld - partial |
| The requester asked for details on legal instructions and advice provided by the Attorney General's Chambers to the Independent Review Body (IRB) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) over the last three years. The authority partially upheld the request, refusing to disclose specific counts, summaries, or client identities for most questions due to legal professional privilege, while the response regarding a specific 2020 jurisdictional advice appears incomplete in the provided text. | ||
| 2021-03-23 | Primary and secondary legislation timescale | Not upheld |
| The requester asked for a list of primary and secondary legislation drafting requests from March 2019, including dates and departments. The Attorney General's Chambers refused to disclose the information, citing qualified exemptions related to policy formulation and legal professional privilege. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2020-11-24 | Criminal Investigation Involving Isle of Man Judiciary | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for the identity of an independent barrister and correspondence regarding a criminal investigation involving the Isle of Man Judiciary. The Attorney General's Chambers refused to disclose any information, citing exemptions related to ongoing criminal proceedings and potential prejudice to the investigation. | ||
| 2020-11-23 | Criminal Investigation Involving Isle of Man Judiciary | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for details regarding the transfer of an ongoing criminal investigation involving the Isle of Man Judiciary to the United Kingdom Crown. The Attorney General's Chambers refused to disclose any information, citing exemptions related to ongoing criminal proceedings. | ||
| 2020-09-18 | Prosecution of Criminal Offences | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Attorney General's Chambers for details on the practical management of criminal prosecutions, including documentation of evidential tests and specific policies for road races. The authority responded that while operational processes exist, the specific documentation requested is not 'held' by the AGC, and referred the requester to existing public codes and court practice directions. | ||
| 2020-08-12 | Legal costs | All information sent |
| A request was made for the total legal costs incurred by the Attorney General's Chambers regarding a trespass case against Mr. Dan Richardson on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture. The authority disclosed that the total disbursement costs to date were £680.00. | ||
| 2020-06-24 | Defence Costs | All information sent |
| The request sought data on the number of not-guilty cases where the Attorney General's Chambers covered defence costs since April 2017, along with the total amounts paid. The authority disclosed a breakdown of cases and costs for the years 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20, confirming all information was released. | ||
| 2020-05-22 | Number of Juveniles sentenced to custody for Covid-19 Regs breaches. | All information sent |
| The request sought the total number of juveniles sentenced to custody at the Secure Unit for breaching Emergency Powers Regulations 2020 related to COVID-19. The Attorney General's Chambers confirmed that one juvenile had been sentenced to custody for such an offence as of May 2020. | ||
| 2020-05-11 | Restraint Order Statistics | All information sent |
| The request sought annual statistics on Restraint Orders from 2016 to 2020, but the authority only provided specific data for 2019 and 2020, referring the requester to previous FOI responses for earlier years. The response confirmed the number of orders granted and their current status under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2008. | ||
| 2020-03-09 | John Quinn's conflict of interest in operation Braid | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details on why UK barrister Timothy Sinclair Green acted for the Isle of Man Attorney General in Operation Braid and the specific conflict of interest involving John Quinn. While the authority confirmed Green's delegated authority for the investigation, the specific details of the conflict of interest were withheld under FOI exemptions. | ||
| 2020-01-28 | Marina Development | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought details on the shortlisting stage for a new marina development, specifically regarding invited parties, sites, and future timescales. The Attorney General's Chambers disclosed that three parties were invited to bid on Douglas, Ramsey, and Port St Mary harbours, but stated they did not hold information on the timescales for the next stages. | ||
| 2019-11-18 | Seconded Attorney General staff member | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The Legal Affairs and Justice Committee requested details regarding a proposed secondment of an Attorney General's Chambers staff member to the Isle of Man Constabulary. The Authority responded that the secondment had not yet taken place, meaning specific details on names, dates, and tasks could not be provided, and any such personal data would be exempt under data protection laws. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2019-10-11 | Marina Development | All information sent |
| A request was made for details on expressions of interest for a new Isle of Man marina, including submission numbers and next steps. The Attorney General's Chambers disclosed that 20 interests were registered with 3 valid submissions and outlined the current pre-qualification stage of the procurement process. | ||
| 2019-06-03 | Statutory Boards - Lay Board Members Pay | All information sent |
| The requester asked for current pay rates for lay board members of Statutory Boards and when they were last changed. The Attorney General's Chambers disclosed that rates are defined by the Statutory Boards (Annual Sums) Order 2015, which came into operation on 1 November 2015, and provided a copy of the document. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2019-01-03 | Discharges of Restraint Orders | All information sent |
| The request sought statistics on the discharge of Restraint Orders obtained under the Proceeds of Crime Act in 2017 and 2018. The Attorney General's Chambers disclosed that 14 of the 27 orders from 2017 were discharged and provided a breakdown of the status of 10 orders obtained in 2018. | ||
| 2018-08-17 | Contempt of Court Bill | Information not held |
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