Cabinet Office
171 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 86.0%
The Freedom of Information requests to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office reveal an authority that is generally cooperative regarding historical data, spending totals, and employment statistics, but fiercely protective of its internal deliberative processes and contingency planning. A clear pattern emerges where the government readily discloses the *cost* of its actions—such as the £425,000 legal retainer for Lansons (464233) or the £57,000 paid to John Barrett QC (1001057)—while withholding the *strategy* behind them. This is most evident in the Brexit cluster, where documents on 'Operation Yellowhammer' (937314) and food supply chains (984789) were entirely exempted, suggesting a 'need-to-know' approach to national security and economic stability that overrides public transparency.
Key Cases
Case 937314 — The complete refusal to disclose any documents regarding 'Operation Yellowhammer' (No-Deal Brexit contingency) is a critical case. It reveals the government's decision to keep its most sensitive emergency planning entirely hidden from public scrutiny, citing exemptions that prevent any insight into how the island prepared for a potential economic and logistical collapse.
Case 464233 — This case disclosed a massive £425,000 annual retainer for the law firm Lansons, plus an additional £70,000 for 'international scrutiny.' It highlights the significant financial burden of legal defense and reputation management on the public purse, likely linked to the island's financial crime investigations.
Case 354247 — The disclosure of the Cabinet Office paper regarding the UK Investigatory Powers Bill is notable for its intersection of national security and local legislation. It shows the Isle of Man's active role in shaping its own surveillance laws in alignment with the UK, raising questions about privacy and state powers.
Case 1001057 — Revealing that John Barrett QC was paid over £57,000 for a single planning inquiry (the East Area Plan) underscores the high cost of independent legal advice in government planning. It connects to a broader narrative of expensive external consultants being used to navigate complex land-use disputes.
Case 354255 — The full release of the 'Beamans Report' on modernizing ministerial government is significant because it provides a rare, unredacted look at internal critiques of senior management structures. Unlike many policy papers, this was fully disclosed, offering a benchmark for what transparency looks like when the government is willing to share reform documents.
Related FOI Stories
Brexit Contingency and Border Security — #354247, #358517, #354299, #354301, #354303
Legal Costs and High-Profile Appointments — #354269, #354289, #354291, #464233, #980113
Government Transparency and Policy Formulation — #354255, #354267, #354309, #354357, #357735
Public Sector Employment and Workforce Data — #354221, #354313, #354315, #354321, #354327
Ministerial Conduct and Travel Expenses — #354249, #354287, #354305, #357737, #622865
All (171)
Information not held (171) ·
All information sent (147) ·
Some information sent but not all held (110) ·
Some information sent but part exempt (95) ·
No information sent - all held but exempt (31) ·
Not upheld (25) ·
Upheld - partial (10) ·
Upheld - full (6) ·
Not required to fulfill request (4) ·
Decision Notice - Complaint not upheld (3) ·
Request lapsed - requested information not provided (2) ·
Decision Notice - Complaint part upheld (2) ·
Withdrawn (1) ·
Vexatious request (1) ·
Information Notice (1) ·
Decision Notice - Complaint upheld (1) ·
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-20 | Chief Secretary's Xmas Drinks Invitees and Attendees | Information not held |
| A request was made for the number of invitees and attendees, along with their names and job titles, for a Christmas drinks event hosted by the Chief Secretary on 17 December 2021. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2021-12-15 | covid-19 media buying services | Information not held |
| The requester asked for details regarding a UK government media buying contract for COVID-19 advertising services involving the Isle of Man. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold this information and advised contacting the UK Government, while also warning that the requester's volume of submissions may be considered vexatious. | ||
| 2021-12-15 | Money paid per covid-19 vaccine | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Cabinet Office about per-vaccine payments and funding for COVID-19 treatments in the Isle of Man. The authority responded that it does not hold this information and directed the requester to the Department of Health and Social Care or Manx Care. | ||
| 2021-12-15 | Covid numbers | Information not held |
| The requester asked for monthly Covid-19 mortality and positive test figures for 2020-2021, including symptom status. The Cabinet Office stated it does not hold the test data and referred the requester to Manx Care, while providing a link to existing online data for mortality figures. | ||
| 2021-12-09 | Head of Communications for Manx Care | Information not held |
| A request was made for details regarding the recruitment process for the Head of Communications at Manx Care, but the Cabinet Office responded that the information is not held because the post was not advertised. | ||
| 2021-12-06 | EU Whistleblowing Directive | Information not held |
| The requester sought all documents related to the EU Whistleblowing Directive and its potential extension to the Isle of Man, but the Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold such information. | ||
| 2021-11-23 | Asylum applications | Information not held |
| A request was made for data on asylum applications received and accepted in the Isle of Man between 2010 and 2021. The Cabinet Office responded that no such information is held because the Isle of Man has no legislative provisions for asylum claims, resulting in zero applications received or approved during that period. | ||
| 2021-11-22 | Total cost of PCR tests imposed on unvaccinated resident travellers. | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office for data on the number and cost of PCR tests for unvaccinated residents between June and September 2021. The authority responded that it does not hold this information and suggested contacting Manx Care instead. | ||
| 2021-11-22 | Area Plan for the North and West - site ID - JR001 | Information not held |
| A request was made for details of comments received regarding Site ID JR001 under the Area Plan for the North and West. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold this information as the Planning Policy Team received no responses. | ||
| 2021-11-01 | Accuracy of LFD testing regime | Information not held |
| The requester asked for records detailing the specificity and sensitivity of COVID-19 testing procedures used on the Isle of Man in October 2021. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold this information and suggested contacting Manx Care instead. | ||
| 2021-09-29 | Election | Information not held |
| The requester asked for age demographic breakdowns and polling station turnout data for the 2021 Isle of Man election, but the Cabinet Office stated it did not hold this information at the time of the request. | ||
| 2021-09-28 | Cost of rent at Hamilton House | Information not held |
| A request was made for the total rent spent by the Isle of Man Government on Hamilton House, broken down by year, following the Department of Education's announcement to vacate. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold this information and suggested contacting the Department of Infrastructure instead. | ||
| 2021-09-21 | UN COP26 invitations | Information not held |
| The request sought details on Isle of Man Government invitations and attendance plans for UN COP26 events in Milan and Glasgow. The Cabinet Office responded that no official invitations had been received by any department and that personal attendance is not monitored. | ||
| 2021-09-17 | Detailed Ballot information | Information not held |
| The requester asked for a detailed breakdown of 2016 House of Keys election results showing ballots cast for each distinct combination of candidates. The Cabinet Office responded that this specific information is not held, though they suggested it could be considered in future post-election reviews. | ||
| 2021-09-13 | data protection fines | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Isle of Man Cabinet Office for data on data protection breaches, fines, and related accounting strategies. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information on fines and budgets, and that providing breach statistics would require creating new information, which is not required under the Freedom of Information Act. | ||
| 2021-09-03 | MHK's Business/share Interests | Information not held |
| The requester asked for a list of share and business interests held by Members of the House of Keys and civil servants, including purchase dates. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold this information, noting that the House of Keys is currently dissolved and that civil servant interests are governed by publicly available codes rather than a central register. | ||
| 2021-08-26 | Planning at Sandygate House | Information not held |
| 2021-08-25 | Number of Government workers vaccinated | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office for the percentage of government workers vaccinated against Covid-19. The authority responded that it does not hold this information and suggested contacting Manx Care instead. | ||
| 2021-08-09 | Informed consent | Information not held |
| A request was made for the full nucleotide base sequence of approved COVID vaccines and data on spike protein biodistribution and toxicity. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold this information and suggested contacting Manx Care instead. | ||
| 2021-07-15 | Disability impact assessment | Information not held |
| The requester asked for disability impact assessments regarding the reduction of border controls since moving from Level 3 of the pandemic framework. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold the specific documents requested, though it explained that equality considerations were integrated into the border control measures. | ||
| 2021-07-15 | Modelling data | Information not held |
| A request was made for modelling data regarding hospital admissions and deaths from reduced border controls, to which the Cabinet Office responded that the specific information was not held, though they provided a preliminary report from the University of Warwick outlining modelling assumptions and caveats. | ||
| 2021-06-09 | Declarations of Interest | Information not held |
| A request was made for records of declarations of interest by members of the Citizens' Forum on Climate Change, but the Cabinet Office responded that no such information is held because members were not asked to declare conflicts of interest. | ||
| 2021-06-07 | estimated Hong Kong immigration | Information not held |
| A request was made for estimates and actual figures regarding Hong Kong immigration and potential new British residents in the Isle of Man. The Cabinet Office responded that no such information is held as the Immigration Service has made no estimations or calculations on this topic. | ||
| 2021-05-28 | A full voting record for 2 MHKs and 1 MLC as requested below | Information not held |
| The requester asked for full voting records for two MHKs and one MLC from the Cabinet Office, but the authority responded that it does not hold this information. | ||
| 2021-05-17 | credit references strategy | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office regarding plans to share rates and utility payment history with credit reference agencies to improve lending access and reduce debt. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information and suggested contacting Manx Utilities or The Treasury instead. | ||
| 2021-05-14 | whistleblower policy and strategy | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Cabinet Office about the consideration of financial rewards and 'qui tam' legal proceedings to address whistleblowing policy weaknesses. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information but noted a commitment to consult on a new statutory whistleblowing framework in 2021/22. | ||
| 2021-05-10 | Secret societies | Information not held |
| A request was made to identify Members of the House of Keys and Members of the Legislative Council who are members of secret societies like Freemasons or Rotary Club. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold this information and suggested contacting the Clerk of Tynwald's Office instead. | ||
| 2021-02-19 | Financial Records of Political Parties | Information not held |
| 2021-02-16 | Planning Appeal Number AP20/0003 (iro Planning Application 19/01401/B) | Information not held |
| A request was made for notes, minutes, transcripts, and recordings of a planning appeal hearing held on 20 August 2020. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold any of the requested information as minutes are not taken, recordings are not made, and the inspector's notes are not in their possession. | ||
| 2021-01-26 | Exemptions | Information not held |
| The requester asked for details regarding exemptions granted for work on private premises during the Isle of Man's circuit breaker lockdown. The Cabinet Office responded that no such exemptions were issued by them since the lockdown began. | ||
| 2021-01-25 | Information regarding PCR testing use for Isle of Man samples | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office for detailed data on PCR testing kits, including manufacturer, sensitivity, accuracy, and false positive/negative rates. The authority responded that it does not hold this information and suggested contacting the Department of Health and Social Care instead. | ||
| 2021-01-08 | Public Health Advice to DESC/Secondary Schools - External Examinations | Information not held |
| The requester sought Public Health advice and correspondence regarding COVID-19 safety measures for students sitting external examinations during a lockdown. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2021-01-07 | Tynwald Select Committee Report | Information not held |
| The requester asked for amended NHS regulations incorporating 2006 Tynwald Select Committee recommendations, but the Cabinet Office confirmed the information is not held because the regulations have not been updated. | ||
| 2021-01-04 | Exemptions | Information not held |
| The requester sought details on travel exemptions granted to companies, government departments, and statutory boards since March 2020. The Cabinet Office responded that the information is not held because exemptions are only issued to non-resident individuals, not organizations. | ||
| 2020-12-21 | Exemptions | Information not held |
| The requester asked if the Attorney General's Chambers provided advice on the wording of Key Worker Exemptions during the pandemic. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold the requested information, noting that the specific wording change in question did not require legal advice. | ||
| 2020-11-02 | FOI Public Documents Memorandum and Articles of Association | Information not held |
| A request was made for the Memorandum and Articles of Association for three specific Private Unlimited Companies associated with the Isle of Man Government. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold this information and directed the requester to the Isle of Man Companies Registry. | ||
| 2020-10-01 | Key Workers | Information not held |
| A request was made for communications regarding key workers who breached Covid-19 regulations, but the Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold this information. | ||
| 2020-09-28 | Working from home | Information not held |
| The requester asked for departmental breakdowns of government employees working from home, monitoring methods, and return-to-office plans. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold central data on the number of remote workers as these are operational decisions, though it outlined existing performance management frameworks and homeworking guidelines. | ||
| 2020-06-23 | Risk Assessment Comis Hotel | Information not held |
| A request was made for a risk assessment regarding the Comis Hotel's use as detention accommodation for repatriated residents, but the Cabinet Office stated it does not hold this information. | ||
| 2020-06-04 | Diversity IOM Police | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Cabinet Office for statistics on the number and rank of non-white IOM Police officers. The authority responded that the information is not held by the Office of Human Resources. | ||
| 2020-03-02 | Savings | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office for accumulated savings from the 'New Terms for New Starters' initiative. The authority responded that the information is not held because it is impossible to accurately identify savings due to constantly changing job roles. | ||
| 2020-01-27 | I'll health retirement | Information not held |
| The requester asked for ten years of annual figures on ill health retirements for civil servants and manual craft workers, split by high and low tiers. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold this information and directed the requester to the Public Sector Pensions Authority. | ||
| 2019-12-31 | Zero hours contracts | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office for data on the number of zero-hours contract workers who are former government employees. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2019-10-28 | Laxey Flooding | Information not held |
| A request was made for correspondence regarding flood preparedness and road repairs in Laxey involving the Flood Agency, Civil Defence, and Manx Utilities. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold the requested information and directed the applicant to other relevant authorities. | ||
| 2019-09-09 | Return of expats and EU nationals to the Isle of Man | Information not held |
| The requester asked for documents regarding the return of expats and EU nationals to the Isle of Man post-Brexit and their impact on infrastructure and health services. The Cabinet Office responded that no such information is held because the Immigration Service does not track British citizens returning from the EU, as they are not under immigration control. | ||
| 2019-08-20 | Cost of questions | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the cost in civil servant time to answer 132 questions on the August 2019 Tynwald Question Paper. The Cabinet Office responded that this specific information is not held as they do not record time taken for individual questions across all departments. | ||
| 2019-07-08 | Tynwald guests | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Cabinet Office for details on who paid for and how much was spent on travel, accommodation, food, and transport for Tynwald guests. The authority responded that it does not hold this information because the guests are invited by the Parliament, not the Cabinet Office. | ||
| 2019-07-02 | Vat on planes | Information not held |
| A request was made for a report from Her Majesty's Treasury regarding VAT on planes and whether the practice continues. The Cabinet Office responded that the information is not held as the report is still awaited from the UK Treasury. | ||
| 2019-07-02 | Chief Minister trip to Australia | Information not held |
| A request was made for details regarding the cost and logistics of the Chief Minister's trip to Australia for the Commonwealth Games. The Cabinet Office responded that no government funds were used as the trip was a personal family holiday paid for entirely by the Chief Minister. | ||
| 2019-03-04 | HM INSPECTOR OF CUSTOMS AND EXCISE ON THE ISLANDS TREATMENT OF VAT ON | Information not held |
| A request was made for a report from HM Customs and Excise regarding the Isle of Man's treatment of VAT on registered planes. The Cabinet Office responded that the information is not held as the report is still awaited from Her Majesty's Treasury in the UK. | ||
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