Cabinet Office
95 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 154.7%
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 (95)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-02 | Get Online Centre | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought comprehensive cost, usage, and governance data for the Isle of Man's Get Online Centre, but the response only disclosed a partial document detailing the project's funding history and revised cost estimates due to pandemic delays. | ||
| 2026-01-21 | Conferences | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought itemised lists of all purchases made by Isle of Man officials at the 2024 Labour and Conservative Party Conferences. The Cabinet Office provided partial information regarding travel, accommodation, and conference passes, but withheld specific meal details and personal data under exemptions. | ||
| 2026-01-01 | costal erosion line a new request | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought internal Cabinet Office records regarding the coastal erosion line for Kirk Michael in the Draft Area Plan for the North & West. The authority provided partial information, including a 2021 email discussing the Coastline Management Zone and excerpts from a 2016 JBA Consulting report on flood risks. | ||
| 2025-12-31 | Move from Microsoft Exchange Unified Messaging to Cisco Unity | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for details regarding the migration of voicemail services from Microsoft Exchange to Cisco Unity, including costs and decision documents. The authority disclosed an options paper outlining the technical rationale and migration strategy but withheld specific cost figures and internal correspondence. | ||
| 2025-10-28 | Territorial Seas - UK's response to Chief Minister's request | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought correspondence between the Isle of Man Chief Minister and the UK Government regarding the territorial sea median line and EEZ from May 2024 onwards. The response disclosed internal Isle of Man emails from January and February 2024 discussing the drafting and potential release of a letter to the UK Ministry of Justice, though the outcome was noted as partially exempt. | ||
| 2025-10-06 | Advice provided by OHR | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for all correspondence between the Office of Human Resources and Castletown Town Commissioners from May 2025 to October 2025. The Cabinet Office released some information but withheld personal data under an absolute exemption. | ||
| 2025-09-02 | Meningitis | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester sought details about a single meningitis case reported in September 2022 and the notification procedures for Manx Care and schools. The Cabinet Office withheld specific case details as personal data under an absolute exemption but provided the general regulatory framework for disease notification. | ||
| 2025-08-26 | Camlorke Planning Appeal AP25/0003 | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought all notes, emails, and letters attached to the distribution of the Inspector's report for Planning Appeal AP25/0003. The Cabinet Office disclosed the email sent to the Minister of the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture but withheld other information citing exemptions for personal data. | ||
| 2025-08-13 | Information regarding controller / processor relationship(s) for PiP | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought the Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) and documents identifying controller/processor relationships for the PiP payroll system. The authority provided a partial response containing risk assessments and mitigation strategies from the DPIA, though some information was withheld under exemptions. | ||
| 2025-06-02 | Extension of the Paris Agreement to IOM | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought documents regarding the Isle of Man's extension of the Paris Agreement, including formal requests, internal correspondence, and impact assessments. The authority released a confidential paper dated February 2021 detailing the background and current position, though the outcome indicates some information was withheld under exemptions. | ||
| 2025-06-02 | CPI and RPI line Items - December 2021 to April 2025 | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for updated CPI and RPI line item indices from December 2021 to April 2025, along with specific weighting data. The Cabinet Office provided the index data but refused the weighting request under Section 20 of the Act, citing that the information was already reasonably accessible via a previous FOI response. | ||
| 2025-05-29 | Chief Officer Group minutes | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester sought unredacted Chief Officer Group minutes from 2011 to 2025 and documentation regarding an unpublished policy decision to cease publishing these minutes. The Cabinet Office provided some information, including specific meeting minutes from December 2011, but withheld other requested details, resulting in a partial exemption outcome. | ||
| 2025-05-28 | Onshore wind farms | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought minutes and records from the Energy Policy Board regarding onshore wind farm development, to which the Cabinet Office responded by releasing a confidential paper noting a Treasury Major Projects Board review of the Manx Utilities Cair Vie project. | ||
| 2025-05-19 | KWC Engagement with the Chief Minister | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought all correspondence between King William's College and the Chief Minister from September 2022 to the present, resulting in the disclosure of two documents regarding event invitations and attendance confirmations. | ||
| 2025-05-19 | Investigation Officer | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2025-04-29 | Consultation of charging people to access information that they own | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester sought Council papers and meeting extracts regarding the consultation on charging fees for Freedom of Information requests. The Cabinet Office disclosed minutes from July 2024 and February 2025 meetings where the proposal was discussed and agreed in principle, though the response indicates some information was withheld. | ||
| 2025-04-11 | Settlement Agreement | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request for information regarding the notice period, interview panel, and settlement agreement details for former CEO Andy Ralphs was partially fulfilled. The authority disclosed the interview panel members and a link for notice period regulations but withheld confirmation and value of any settlement agreement citing personal data exemptions. | ||
| 2025-03-10 | Staffing | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for detailed staffing information, including names, salaries, and work-from-home arrangements for Cabinet Office staff, but the response was partially exempt and only provided an organizational chart with job titles and some departmental functions. | ||
| 2025-03-05 | Antisemitism Investigation | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for all records regarding an investigation into potential antisemitism involving Housing Board member Gary Clueit, initiated after an email complaint in October 2023. The Cabinet Office responded by releasing some correspondence but withheld parts of the information under exemptions. | ||
| 2024-12-31 | Settlement Agreements | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for statistics on Settlement Agreements issued by the Cabinet Office since September 2021 and a blank template. The authority provided the template but withheld the statistical data and compensation figures, citing exemptions. | ||
| 2024-12-31 | Settlement Agreements | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details on Settlement Agreements issued by the Public Services Commission since September 2021, including a breakdown by reason and compensation, plus a blank template. The authority disclosed aggregate statistics and total monetary figures but withheld individual breakdowns and the template due to privacy exemptions and ownership by a third party. | ||
| 2024-10-29 | Energy Policy Board minutes | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for all agendas and minutes of the Energy Policy Board since its formation, resulting in the disclosure of some documents while parts were withheld under exemption. | ||
| 2024-09-05 | Appointment of on island expert to improve communication | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details on the appointment, procurement, costs, and timeline for communications expert Craig Tregurtha. The response disclosed the signed agreement and confirmed a Financial Regulations exemption was granted, but withheld specific commercial pricing and recruitment statistics. | ||
| 2024-09-05 | EBME Technician Job Evaluation Information | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester sought all correspondence regarding the grading of EBME Technician roles between OHR and PSC from 2019 to September 2024. The authority released a 2023 email and evaluation matrix detailing the grading of the Senior Technician role as Skills Level 4, but withheld some information under exemptions. | ||
| 2024-07-29 | North and West Area Plan submissions | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought emails regarding submissions by Savagechadwick Architects to the North and West Area Plan Inquiry, specifically focusing on distribution to the Inspector and internal correspondence. The Cabinet Office provided some information but withheld parts of the response under exemptions. | ||
| 2024-07-18 | Manx Utilities Authority | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought records of interactions between the Cabinet Office and Manx Utilities Authority regarding area and strategic plans, but the response provided details on the Department of Infrastructure's review of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2015 instead. | ||
| 2024-07-16 | Recruitment and retention allowance - GTS | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester sought detailed statistics and criteria regarding recruitment and retention allowances for Government Technology Services (GTS) roles, including breakdowns by grade and job descriptions. The Cabinet Office responded with a partial disclosure, providing a specific job description for a Service Desk Analyst while withholding the requested statistical breakdowns and policy criteria. | ||
| 2024-06-04 | Airfield Operations Electricians Market Rating Exercise | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for emails and evidence regarding a Market Rating exercise for Airfield Operations Electricians between 2021 and 2024, resulting in the disclosure of some correspondence while parts were exempt. | ||
| 2024-05-17 | Anonymised survey responses | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for anonymized survey responses regarding a government conference promoted on social media. The Cabinet Office disclosed the data, including quantitative attendance figures and qualitative feedback on content and execution, though the response was marked as partially exempt. | ||
| 2024-04-15 | Age of deaths | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for annual age brackets and average ages of death in the Isle of Man from 2015 to 2023. The Cabinet Office provided the average age of death for 2015-2022 but stated they do not hold the data for 2023 or the specific age brackets requested. | ||
| 2024-03-20 | CoMIN committees, sub-committees and boards minutes | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for meeting dates and minutes since inception for three CoMIN committees: Justice, Legislative, and Operational Performance Board. The Cabinet Office responded with a partial disclosure, providing some information while withholding parts due to exemptions and the volume of records requiring consultation. | ||
| 2023-12-13 | Health Learning &. Social Policy board | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-11-07 | Press Office Contacts with the Media | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for all correspondence between the Cabinet Office Press Office and IOMTODAY from June to November 2023, resulting in the disclosure of some emails regarding electric bus trials while other information was withheld under exemptions. | ||
| 2023-08-21 | Public Health HR Review | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-06-16 | Employee survey results | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-04-04 | Callister Email | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-01-24 | Payments to staff leaving civil service | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-01-04 | Primary School Pupils - BMI Information | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2022-12-12 | Transformation Team | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2022-10-14 | Correspondence with International Monitoring Board | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2022-09-22 | Covid Regulations | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for details on who drafted specific COVID-19 quarantine regulations, the drafter's qualifications, and whether legal advice was sought regarding international health and torture conventions. The Cabinet Office disclosed that the Attorney General's Chambers drafted the regulations under the Emergency Powers Act 1936 but stated it did not hold information regarding the specific qualifications of the individual drafter. | ||
| 2022-09-07 | FOI - Cabinet Office - Unpublished Responses to FOI Requests | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for unpublished FOI responses from the Cabinet Office since the Act's introduction, but the authority provided two specific past responses instead: one refusing a repeated request about appeal times and another confirming no drug testing policy exists for government workers. | ||
| 2022-09-05 | chief secretary appointments commission review report | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought the 2015 Chief Secretary review report on the Appointments Commission and related correspondence regarding alleged inaction. The Cabinet Office disclosed the review report itself but withheld some information, citing partial exemptions. | ||
| 2022-06-01 | Greenwashing | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office for all emails between January 2021 and June 2022 containing variations of the term 'greenwashing'. The authority responded with 10 documents totaling 729 pages, but the outcome was classified as 'some information sent but part exempt'. | ||
| 2022-05-17 | Personnel information | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for the names, job titles, and salary maxima of all Cabinet Office employees, but the authority only disclosed names of senior staff (HEO/Band 6 and above) while exempting junior staff data. | ||
| 2022-04-06 | Meetings | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for the Chief Minister's diary from 14 to 31 January 2022, resulting in partial disclosure where some information was withheld due to exemptions regarding personal data, ongoing investigations, and health and safety risks. | ||
| 2022-03-30 | Details of Minister's off-Island trip | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details regarding Minister Kate Lord-Brennan's off-Island trip, including duration, meetings, and costs. The authority disclosed the trip dates and meeting details but withheld cost information under a qualified exemption, noting it would be published online within 60 days. | ||
| 2022-03-24 | Public Register of Government Committees and Quasi-Autonomous Entities | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for the Public Register of Government Committees, details on corporate governance reviews including the Independent Review Body for Health Complaints, and assurance certification processes. The Cabinet Office provided information on existing governance frameworks and regulations but stated it does not hold data on assurance certifications, noting that pandemic delays affected previous review timelines. | ||
| 2022-02-14 | Action Plan for achieving net zero emissions | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought status updates on net zero actions and research, plus 2020 climate spending; the authority provided a link for action updates and specific spending figures but withheld research updates pending publication. | ||
| 2021-12-22 | Public Health | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for information on current or planned public health campaigns to combat stress in the Isle of Man. The Cabinet Office responded that no specific documents were released because the information is already reasonably accessible online via the 'Are you OK' website and other Public Health resources. | ||
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