Cabinet Office
610 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 24.1%
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 (610)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-21 | The capping of special duty pay for MPTC workers | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester sought documentation authorizing the capping of special duty pay for MPTC workers, specifically an agreement by the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC). The Cabinet Office determined it does not hold any information regarding this request created on or after 11 October 2011, resulting in the request not being fulfilled. | ||
| 2025-04-15 | Copy correspondence between Mr Bob Ringham & UK OPCAT | Information not held |
| The requester sought correspondence regarding OPCAT protocols and the use of the Comis Hotel as a quarantine facility involving Mr Bob Ringham and Isle of Man officials. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold the requested information but directed the requester to an independent review by Kate Brunner, KC. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2025-04-11 | Cost for hire of tankers | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Cabinet Office for the cost of hiring Bridman tankers used by Manx Utilities for sewage transfer over the last four years. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold this information and advised the requester to contact Manx Utilities directly. | ||
| 2025-04-01 | Freedom of Information Consultation | Upheld - partial |
| The requester sought evidence regarding Cabinet Office decisions on FOI policy, administrative burdens, and specific meeting minutes, while the authority partially upheld the request by providing 2023 statistics on Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) and Freedom of Information (FOI) volumes across government departments. | ||
| 2025-03-25 | Human resources policies | Information not held |
| A request was made for policies and employee counts regarding service and emotional support animals within the Isle of Man Government. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold this specific information, noting that the Public Services Commission has a general Pets at Work Policy that excludes these categories. | ||
| 2025-03-25 | Meeting with Chief Executive of IOMG | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought questions, minutes, and communications regarding a March 2025 meeting between the Public Services Commission Chair and the Isle of Man Government Chief Executive. The authority disclosed the list of prepared questions but indicated that not all requested information was held. | ||
| 2025-03-25 | DoI MHK | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Cabinet Office for the number of emails received in support of 20mph zones and general context. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold this information and suggested contacting the Department of Infrastructure instead. | ||
| 2025-03-25 | Cost of House of Keys and tynwald questions | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the average cost of researching parliamentary questions and the number of questions asked by Jason Moorhouse MHK. The Cabinet Office stated it does not hold cost data as officers do not account for time in that manner, but directed the requester to the Clerk of Tynwald for the question count. | ||
| 2025-03-20 | Correspondence between the UK Ministry of Justice and Peter Boxer 2020 | Information not held |
| The requester asked for correspondence between Peter Boxer and the UK Ministry of Justice regarding 2020 events at Abbotswood nursing home. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2025-03-19 | Election Eligibility | Information not held |
| A request was made for correspondence regarding candidate eligibility between the Cabinet Office and Port Erin Commissioners from January 2022 to April 2025. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold the requested information, noting that such queries are often resolved via unrecorded telephone calls. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2025-03-04 | Bonus Payments | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Cabinet Office for details on bonus payments made to Manx Care staff since its inception. The authority responded that it does not hold this information as no such payments are recorded in their payroll or terms and conditions. | ||
| 2025-02-20 | Legal Aid Provided, Cost and Time Frame For Court Proceedings | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Cabinet Office for statistics on legal aid recipients, costs, and court timeframes for the 2023-2024 tax year. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold this information and directed the requester to contact The Treasury instead. | ||
| 2025-02-03 | Freedom to Flourish | Information not held |
| A request was made for the backing track 'Ellan Vannin' from the 'Freedom to Flourish' government video, but the Cabinet Office confirmed they do not hold the audio file or specific details. | ||
| 2025-01-29 | Net Migration | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for Isle of Man Net Migration figures similar to those provided by the UK Government. The Cabinet Office responded that the information is already reasonably accessible online via the Statistics Isle of Man website and is classified as an experimental statistic. | ||
| 2025-01-20 | Part time employment | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the total number of part-time employees and zero-hour contract workers across the Isle of Man government. The Cabinet Office disclosed that it does not hold data for the entire government but provided figures for 21 specific departments and offices, excluding the judiciary and elected officials. | ||
| 2025-01-20 | Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) | Information not held |
| A request was made for records of correspondence received from the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) between October 2023 and January 2025. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2025-01-17 | Minimum Wage/Living Wage Calculations | All information sent |
| The requester sought the specific basket of goods and price sources used to calculate the Isle of Man Living Wage since 2017, but the Cabinet Office disclosed detailed data only for 2022-2024 due to the impracticality of compiling historical records from 2017-2021. | ||
| 2025-01-07 | Legal Aid Case Management System project | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the project specification and timeline status of the Legal Aid Case Management System, but the Cabinet Office disclosed only that it holds no signed-off definition documents and that the project is listed as 'on hold' in internal records. | ||
| 2025-01-02 | Pay Negotiations | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought attendance records for former Public Services Commission Chair Kate Lord-Brennan regarding union pay negotiations and other meetings between September 2021 and December 2024. The authority disclosed that she attended 5 pay negotiation meetings and 4 other direct meetings with unions, while noting that earlier negotiations were officer-led and the Chair was not present. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2024-12-12 | minutes of internal working groups | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester sought minutes from the AML/CFT Technical Group and Financial Crime Strategic Board for 2020-2024 to analyze regulatory gaps and corporate governance assurances. The Cabinet Office determined it was not required to fulfill the request due to the applicant's failure to provide necessary clarifications regarding specific topics and organizations despite multiple attempts. | ||
| 2024-12-03 | Cost of painting IOM Courts of Justice. | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Cabinet Office for the costs associated with painting the exterior of the Courts of Justice buildings in 2024. The authority responded that they do not hold this information and advised the requester to contact the Department of Infrastructure instead. | ||
| 2024-11-26 | Equality Impact Assessments & Related Training | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester sought details on the rollout of Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) toolkits, training records, and a list of completed EIAs since 2023 for the Cabinet Office and other departments. The Cabinet Office clarified it only holds information for itself and centrally recorded training, subsequently disclosing EIA workshop materials and screening templates while noting it does not hold EIA lists for other departments. | ||
| 2024-11-20 | How many people will be affected by the withdraw of cash paid pension | Some information sent but not all held |
| The IOM WI requested specific numbers and locations of pensioners receiving cash payments ahead of the MiCard service withdrawal in December 2025. The Cabinet Office disclosed that approximately 1,000 pensioners use the service but confirmed it does not hold data regarding their specific localities. | ||
| 2024-11-19 | 2021 Census Occupation Data | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a complete export of all job titles from the 2021 Isle of Man Census in a machine-readable format. The Cabinet Office fulfilled the request by sending an attached document containing the data. | ||
| 2024-11-18 | MT buyout | Information not held |
| A request was made for all correspondence held by Minister Kate Lord-Brennan regarding Manx Telecom's offer for the Isle of Man Government to buy out the provider. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2024-11-12 | NW Area Pan | Not upheld |
| A request was made for the legal basis and specific costs associated with the NW Area Plan, including consultations and the Public Inquiry. The Cabinet Office disclosed the relevant legislation and provided detailed cost breakdowns for the plan's preparation, consultations, inquiry, and inspector's fees. | ||
| 2024-11-05 | Return to work salaries | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought salary costs for workers on phased return to work over the last 8 years, but the Cabinet Office could only provide data from April 2018 onwards due to system limitations. The response disclosed total costs for 2018-2024 based on full pay assumptions, noting that not all phased returns were captured in the records. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2024-10-10 | Posts created in Manx Care | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the number and cost of non-clinical posts graded HEO and above created in Manx Care since its inception, specifically focusing on PSC terms at Noble's Hospital. The Cabinet Office disclosed data on new position reference numbers and FTE changes between April 2021 and October 2024 but noted it could not distinguish between genuinely new posts and amendments to existing roles. | ||
| 2024-10-10 | Immigration / | Information not held |
| A request for data on work permits, benefits for non-EU immigrants, and refugee status statistics was submitted to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information, noting that work permits and benefits are managed by other departments and that the Isle of Man cannot grant refugee status. | ||
| 2024-10-07 | Cost of Supply Teachers | All information sent |
| The requester asked the Cabinet Office for the total cost of supply teachers to the Manx taxpayer for the last academic year and the preceding four years after the Department of Education, Sport and Culture redirected the query. The authority disclosed the specific costs for each of the five academic years, totaling over £12.9 million. | ||
| 2024-10-01 | New definitions, nouns or terms describing immigrants and/or migrants | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Isle of Man Cabinet Office for instructions on terminology for migrants and related correspondence with the UK Government. The authority responded that it does not hold any such information, as no specific instructions or internal discussions on these terms exist within the department. | ||
| 2024-09-17 | Dates & costs of briefings for Tynwald members | Information not held |
| The requester asked for dates, topics, and catering costs of briefings for Tynwald Members held by the Cabinet Office in the last 24 months. The authority disclosed that briefing details are publicly available online and confirmed a minimum catering spend of £1,469.25 by the Department. | ||
| 2024-09-11 | Inspector to hold his position | Not upheld |
| The request sought specific emails and position statements regarding the Inspector's decisions on public consultation responses and inquiry attendance for the North and West Area Plan. The authority disclosed email correspondence between Andy Johnstone and external parties but the overall request was not upheld, indicating some information was withheld or the request was partially refused. | ||
| 2024-09-09 | Temporary Workers Employed via Agencies | All information sent |
| The requester asked for data on temporary administrative workers employed via agencies by the Isle of Man Cabinet Office from January 2023 to September 2024. The authority disclosed that 25 such workers were engaged during this period, providing a monthly breakdown of the figures. | ||
| 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 | Gardening contract at Government House | All information sent |
| The request sought details regarding the 2023 gardening contract for Government House, including the contractor, tendering process, and contract duration. The Cabinet Office disclosed that Dave Noble Gardening Limited was awarded a three-year contract following a competitive tender, with the same contractor continuing into 2024. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2024-09-03 | UK Government and immigration | Information not held |
| A request was made for data on UK Government immigration quotas, housing statistics for immigrants, and specific housing plans in the Isle of Man. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold the requested information, though it noted it publishes general emergency housing numbers without residency specifics. | ||
| 2024-09-03 | Contracted expert on communications | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought details on a contracted communications expert, including their name, brief, tender process, and costs. The Cabinet Office disclosed the consultant's name, the scope of work, and current costs, but withheld specific tender details citing a procurement exemption. | ||
| 2024-09-03 | Use of off-Island recruitment agencies | Information not held |
| 2024-08-27 | Suicide Rate/ misadventures death | All information sent |
| The request sought 2023/24 figures for suicide and misadventure verdicts in the Isle of Man, and the Cabinet Office provided a table with registered death counts for 2023 and partial 2024 data. | ||
| 2024-08-26 | Fire service pit lane duties | Information not held |
| A request was made for details on the Isle of Man Fire & Rescue Service's tendering and billing costs for pit lane coverage at the TT and MGP events over the past five years. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold this information and directed the requester to the Department for Enterprise and the Department of Home Affairs. | ||
| 2024-08-19 | Tynwald Expenses | Information not held |
| 2024-08-16 | Ukraine Refugees | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought data on Ukrainian refugees, conflict-related entries, and associated costs in the Isle of Man since 2024. The Cabinet Office disclosed visa numbers and scheme costs but noted it does not hold data on asylum seekers or spending by other departments. | ||
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