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
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-02-21 | Planning Appeal Decisions | Information not held |
| The requester asked for a list of planning appeal decisions influenced by the 2012 Draft Planning Policy Statement, but the Cabinet Office refused to compile this specific list, citing that it does not hold the information in that format. | ||
| 2019-02-19 | Appeal decision given by the DEFA Minister | Information not held |
| 2019-01-23 | electoral register and credit reference agencies | Information not held |
| The requester asked for revenue data from credit reference agencies purchasing the electoral register and an assessment of regulatory compatibility with fintech innovations. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold this information as the General Registry is the agency responsible for selling the register. | ||
| 2018-12-28 | menopause policy | Information not held |
| A request was made for a standardized formal policy on female and male menopause within the Isle of Man public sector, but the Cabinet Office confirmed that no such specific policy is held. | ||
| 2018-08-30 | Translation costs to the tax payer | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the cost of EU translators to the Manx taxpayer and whether costs are clawed back from the EU. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold the requested information for all government departments and cannot find the specific annual costs for its own department from 2011. | ||
| 2018-07-27 | Income received by IOM Government from Cruise Ships 1 Jan 2017-2018 | Information not held |
| A request was made for income received by the Isle of Man Government from cruise ships between January 2017 and January 2018. The Cabinet Office responded that the information is not held by them and suggested contacting other departments for assistance. | ||
| 2018-07-25 | IOM Cycle to Work Scheme | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Cabinet Office for statistics on private sector workers and companies benefiting from the Isle of Man Cycle to Work Scheme. The authority responded that the information is not held and suggested contacting the Treasury instead. | ||
| 2018-07-09 | Tynwald Day Banquet 2018 | Information not held |
| A request was made for the total cost of the 2018 Tynwald Day Banquet, including venue hire and food expenses. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold this information and suggested contacting the Office of Clerk of Tynwald instead. | ||
| 2018-05-21 | IOM Biosphere Pledge - Sustainable Economy | Information not held |
| A request was made to confirm if the Isle of Man Government committed to sustainable economic development as policy upon acceding to Biosphere status. The Cabinet Office responded that the information requested is not held. | ||
| 2018-05-14 | services provided by independent medical services | Information not held |
| A request was made for details regarding the contract award and market testing schedule for Independent Medical Services (IMS). The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold this information, as individual government departments act as the contracting bodies. | ||
| 2018-05-07 | occupational health service provided by IMS | Information not held |
| A request was made for details regarding the contract award, due diligence, and retendering timeline for an occupational health service provided by IMS. The Cabinet Office responded that the information is not held, as the specific government Department acts as the contracting body. | ||
| 2018-02-07 | Retention Policy | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the Cabinet Office's retention policy specifically regarding internal meeting notes, agendas, and minutes. The authority responded that the information is not held, as the existing draft policy is high-level and does not specify retention periods for individual record types. | ||
| 2018-01-19 | Recruitment process for the Manx Attorney General - communcations with UK Ministry of Justice | Information not held |
| A request for details on the recruitment process for the Manx Attorney General and specific communications with the UK Ministry of Justice regarding John Quinn's appointment was refused because the Cabinet Office does not hold the information due to statutory exemptions for Crown appointments. | ||
| 2017-10-15 | Consultation results collected and percentages stated | Information not held |
| The requester asked whether consultation percentages are calculated by weighting responses from trade bodies or treating each reply as a single response. The Cabinet Office confirmed it does not hold specific records on this methodology but stated that only individual respondents are counted, while noting that consulting bodies may exercise discretion in weighting views. | ||
| 2017-10-13 | Government policies when a request for support is received from a charity | Information not held |
| The requester asked for written government policies regarding departmental support for charities, but the Cabinet Office confirmed no overarching policy exists. The response indicated that individual departments must adhere to general staff guidance and financial regulations instead. | ||
| 2017-08-07 | Passenger Travel Information Scheme | Information not held |
| A request was made for a copy of the 'Passenger Travel Information Scheme' referenced in June 2017 Council of Ministers proceedings, but the Cabinet Office responded that the information is not held because the scheme has not yet been developed. | ||
| 2017-07-28 | Details regarding Isle of Man Ltd as a registered | Information not held |
| The requester asked for documents regarding 'Isle of Man Limited', alleging civil servants were shareholders, but the Cabinet Office stated it does not hold this information. | ||
| 2017-07-08 | Council of Minsters Report on Implications of Independence | Information not held |
| A request was made for a Council of Ministers Report on Independence from November 2000, but the Cabinet Office stated it was not obliged to respond under the Freedom of Information Act 2015 because the information predates the Act's commencement. | ||
| 2017-03-23 | Request for the value, estimate and performance detail of the Water Authority sinking fund | Information not held |
| A request for the value, estimate, and performance details of the Water Authority sinking fund was refused by the Cabinet Office because they do not hold the information. The authority advised the requester to consult the published 2017-2018 Budget or direct future queries to the Treasury. | ||
| 2017-03-15 | Details of the legal liability insurance against claims made by members of the public | Information not held |
| The requester asked for details regarding legal liability insurance held by the Cabinet Office against public claims, but the authority refused the request stating the information is not held by them. | ||
| 2017-03-02 | Scottish Power warranty cashback scheme | Information not held |
| The requester asked for dates when the Council of Ministers discussed Manx companies DAIL and PowerPlan Company Ltd regarding the Scottish Power warranty cashback scheme. The Cabinet Office refused the request stating they do not hold the information, though they provided links to two public Hansard transcripts from 2016 that contain related details. | ||