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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-08-12 | Dezoning | All information sent |
| The request sought the number of land parcels dezoned since October 2011 and the reasons for these changes. The Cabinet Office disclosed that 5 parcels totaling 11.85 hectares were dezoned, citing reasons such as landscape impact, deliverability, and infrastructure concerns. | ||
| 2022-08-09 | Monkeypox | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office for the number of available Monkeypox vaccines as of August 9, 2022. The authority responded that they do not hold this information as vaccine stock control is the responsibility of Manx Care. | ||
| 2022-08-01 | Members of the Tynwald Equality Consultative Councik | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the current members of the Tynwald Equality Consultative Council and transcripts of its last two meetings. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold this information because the establishment of the Council was paused in 2018 following a review of government committees. | ||
| 2022-07-29 | Cost of Ronaldsway Covid-19 Vaccine Hub | Information not held |
| A request was made for detailed cost breakdowns regarding the construction, operation, and removal of the Ronaldsway Covid-19 Vaccine Hub. The Cabinet Office responded that they do not hold this information and suggested contacting the Department of Health and Social Care instead. | ||
| 2022-07-19 | employment practices liability insurance | Information not held |
| A request was made for information regarding the consideration and implementation of employment practices liability insurance by the Isle of Man Cabinet Office. The authority responded that no such records are held, as individual insurance evidence is not collated and no central consideration is known. | ||
| 2022-07-06 | Gender identification | Information not held |
| A request was made for all records of communication between the Cabinet Office and external organizations regarding gender identification. The authority responded that it does not hold this information as it is not collated centrally. | ||
| 2022-06-21 | All cause mortality | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for all-cause mortality data split by month from 2016 to the present day. The Cabinet Office provided data from January 2016 to December 2021 but could not supply 2022 figures as they had not yet been coded by the ONS. | ||
| 2022-06-17 | Regional swimming pool survey info | Information not held |
| A request was made for details regarding the firm, costs, and personnel involved in surveying Isle of Man regional swimming pools. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold this information and directed the requester to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture. | ||
| 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'. | ||
| 2022-05-30 | Office of Human Resources (OHR) and people information programme (PiP) | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought data on PiP payslip complaints, system capabilities for 'rolled up' holiday pay, and financial statistics for hourly workers in 2020/2021. The Cabinet Office disclosed that complaint records were not held, confirmed the system's legal compliance, and provided specific worker counts and remuneration totals. | ||
| 2022-05-19 | Number of IOM Gov employees working from home. | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the number of Isle of Man Government employees working from home as of May 2022. The Cabinet Office responded that this information is not held because statistics on remote work arrangements are not collated. | ||
| 2022-05-19 | Organisation and staffing | All information sent |
| The requester asked for an organisation chart and staff details for the Isle of Man Cabinet Office, but the request was narrowed to only the organisation chart after points regarding staff names and salaries were identified as duplicates. The authority released a structure chart dated May 2021, noting that current reforms are underway and a new chart will be commissioned later. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2022-05-05 | Cartographical Errors - Eastern Area Plan | All information sent |
| The request asked if maps in the Eastern Area Plan were checked for errors after Tynwald approval and for details of any found. The Cabinet Office confirmed all maps were checked, identified two specific cartographical errors regarding settlement boundaries in Crosby and Laxey, and provided links to the corrected and draft maps. | ||
| 2022-04-27 | Emergency Advisory Group | All information sent |
| The request sought details on Emergency Advisory Group (EAG) meetings, discussions, membership, and the delay in publishing minutes since November 2021. The Cabinet Office disclosed that the group met three times, provided a link to the published minutes, explained the delay was due to staff changes, listed the members, and confirmed the group is now in abeyance following the end of the pandemic emergency response. | ||
| 2022-04-27 | Covid border costs | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought costs for Covid border infrastructure and staffing at Parade Street Car Park and Ronaldsway between June 2021 and April 2022. The Cabinet Office disclosed specific staffing and equipment costs but noted it did not hold infrastructure data for Ronaldsway, suggesting the Department of Infrastructure be contacted instead. | ||
| 2022-04-22 | Climate Change Transformation Team | Upheld - partial |
| The requester asked for the names and salary maxima of all staff in the Climate Change Transformation Team, citing a recent transparency initiative regarding Covid grants. The Cabinet Office disclosed the names and job grades of seven team members but did not provide specific salary figures, instead linking to a public pay scale document. | ||
| 2022-04-22 | Number of Covid days off work by government employees | All information sent |
| The requester sought data on the number of days, average absence, and salary costs related to COVID-19 and general sickness for Isle of Man government employees for the 2020-2022 period. The Cabinet Office confirmed that all requested information was sent, clarifying that records are held by diagnosis or general COVID absence rather than validated positive tests. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2022-04-05 | Anti Virals | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office for data on the number of individuals and categories receiving antiviral medications. The authority responded that they do not hold this information and suggested contacting Manx Care instead. | ||
| 2022-03-31 | Temporary Administrative and Secretarial Staff Services Select List | Information not held |
| The requester asked for details regarding a specific agency added to the Temporary Administrative and Secretarial Staff Services Select List after the submission date. The Cabinet Office disclosed that the agency was added on 30 November 2021 because it was inadvertently missed from the tendering exercise, a decision sanctioned by the Office of Human Resources. | ||
| 2022-03-30 | Number and cost of IOM Government employees. | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought total government employee numbers, full-time/part-time breakdowns, historical data, and salary costs for the Isle of Man Government. The Cabinet Office disclosed current headcount and salary figures but withheld historical data for 2018-2020 as publicly available and confirmed they did not hold the specific monthly cost for the 770 new employees. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2022-03-30 | Budget for MHKs lunches | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the budget and expenditure on lunches for Council of Ministers meetings organized by the Cabinet Office between March and April 2022. The Cabinet Office responded that no such information is held because there was no expenditure on catering for these specific meetings during the requested period. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2022-03-11 | Island Global Research | All information sent |
| The request sought the Terms of Reference, total costs, and tender details for climate change research conducted by Island Global Research in December 2021. The Cabinet Office disclosed the full Terms of Reference document, which outlines the research objectives, methodology, and target audience for segmenting Isle of Man residents regarding climate change perceptions. | ||
| 2022-03-07 | external investigating officers | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought historical data on the number of independent external investigating officers available between 2017 and 2021 and their public sector employment history. The Cabinet Office disclosed that it only holds current data, stating there are eight officers in the 2021/22 financial year, seven of whom have had previous public sector roles. | ||
| 2022-03-04 | Climate Change Funding | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought a breakdown of initial £10m climate funding, costs for the Climate Change Transformation Team, staff details, and plans for an additional £42m expenditure. The Cabinet Office disclosed detailed spending on the initial fund and team costs, provided staff grades, but stated it did not hold the specific breakdown for the additional £42m, though it outlined the fund allocations. | ||
| 2022-02-24 | Red diesel representations | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Cabinet Office for records of representations made to the UK Government regarding red diesel in 2021 and 2022. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold this information and suggested contacting The Treasury instead. | ||
| 2022-02-22 | Payments | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Cabinet Office for details on financial assistance provided to McKenzie Fox Ltd during the pandemic, but the authority confirmed it does not hold this information as it did not administer business support schemes. | ||
| 2022-02-22 | Vaccine safety | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office for the official acceptable limits of deaths and injuries attributed to COVID-19 vaccines before the programme would be stopped. The authority responded that it does not hold this information, as the vaccination programme follows advice from the UK's JCVI and MHRA. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2022-02-07 | Mortality 2021 | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the Isle of Man mortality figure for 2021, but the Cabinet Office stated it does not hold the data yet as the report is scheduled for publication in April 2022. | ||
| 2022-02-01 | Information Commissioner's Decision re Howard Quayle | Withdrawn |
| The request sought extracts from Council of Ministers minutes regarding the Coronavirus Business Support Scheme and the Coronavirus Strategic Capacity Scheme, specifically identifying members present. The response disclosed minutes from four meetings in March and May 2020 detailing the discussion and approval of these schemes, though the request was ultimately withdrawn in November 2024. | ||
| 2022-02-01 | Renumeration for Isle of Man Vaccine Schedule | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office for details on per-vaccine remuneration for medical staff under the national vaccination schedule. The authority responded that it does not hold this information and suggested contacting Manx Care instead. | ||
| 2022-02-01 | Renumeration for Remdesivir | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Cabinet Office regarding financial payments for prescribing Remdesivir and patient mortality statistics. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information and suggested contacting Manx Care instead. | ||
| 2022-01-27 | Media Training | All information sent |
| The request sought details on media training costs, content, and providers for Isle of Man ministers since the September 2021 General Election. The Cabinet Office disclosed that the training cost £1,800, was provided by Isle of Man Advertising & PR, and included practical one-to-one sessions. | ||
| 2022-01-26 | CPI and RPI line items | All information sent |
| The requester asked for detailed monthly index data and weights for CPI and RPI calculations on the Isle of Man, and the Cabinet Office confirmed that all requested information was sent. | ||
| 2022-01-25 | Howard Quayle's financial package as Chief Minister. | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for Howard Quayle's salary, expenses, and pension details as Chief Minister, but the Cabinet Office refused to provide the specific figures directly. | ||
| 2022-01-25 | Dr Ranson Briefing | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Cabinet Office for a 2020 audio-visual recording made by Dr Ranson, but the authority confirmed it does not hold the information and suggested contacting the Department of Health and Social Care instead. | ||
| 2022-01-24 | Number of officers leaving IOM Constabulary. | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the total number of police officers who left the Isle of Man Constabulary in 2021 following a previous request for data from 2016 to 2020. The Cabinet Office responded by disclosing that 22 officers left the force in 2021 for reasons including resignation, retirement, and dismissal. | ||
| 2022-01-24 | Died of covid solely feb20-dec21 | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for Isle of Man COVID-19 death statistics broken down by age and gender where COVID was the sole cause of death between February 2020 and December 2021. The Cabinet Office refused to disclose the specific breakdown, citing exemptions related to health records and data protection, while directing the requester to existing online data and the Civil Registry. | ||
| 2022-01-24 | Ages of Covid Deaths | All information sent |
| The request sought the ages of death for individuals who died from or with COVID-19 in the Isle of Man between February 2020 and December 2021. The Cabinet Office disclosed all requested information, providing a detailed list of dates, ages, and specific causes of death for both categories. | ||
| 2022-01-20 | Mountain Road Closure | All information sent |
| The requester asked for all correspondence between the Cabinet Office and media outlets regarding the Mountain Road closure for TT 2022 preparations. The authority released a news release and a formal response letter but withheld some information citing an exemption for personal data. | ||
| 2022-01-18 | Island Plan | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought details on the Cabinet Office's consultation for the draft Island Plan, including respondent numbers, internal directives on consultation duration, local authority responses, and drop-in session attendance. The authority disclosed the total number of written respondents and detailed attendance figures for drop-in sessions but confirmed that no written direction regarding the consultation timeframe existed and no responses were attributed to local authorities. | ||
| 2022-01-18 | mobile telephone data roaming costs | Information not held |
| A request for the top 10 mobile telephone data roaming costs by department for financial years 2017/18 to 2019/20 was refused by the Cabinet Office. The authority stated that extracting this data would require substantial compilation of information, which is not required under the Freedom of Information Act. | ||
| 2022-01-18 | property price statistics | All information sent |
| The request sought detailed methodology and specific transaction data regarding the Isle of Man's national property price calculations from the 2020 Economic Affairs housing review. The Cabinet Office disclosed the calculation formula, filtering criteria, and data sources, while providing a specific attachment for 2010 transaction details. | ||
| 2022-01-11 | Health Services Independent Review Body (IRB) Appointments Commission | All information sent |
| The request sought background information and actions taken regarding the Health Services Independent Review Body (IRB) following a consultation query. The response disclosed DHSC officer feedback on alternative complaint investigation methods, the distinction between whistleblowing and complaints, and plans to implement a two-stage process with potential future oversight by the Tynwald Commissioner. | ||
| 2022-01-10 | Size of Government | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for a breakdown of permanent, contract, and temporary employees across all Government Departments, Statutory Boards, and Public Authorities, including data on repeat contractors. The Cabinet Office provided a spreadsheet detailing indefinite and limited-term employees but stated it does not hold data on agency workers or specific entities like Manx Utilities and the Isle of Man Post Office. | ||
| 2022-01-10 | Manx Gas | Not upheld |
| The requester sought all written communications between Manx Gas and the Chief Minister since October 2021, but the Cabinet Office refused to disclose the information citing a breach of confidence exemption. | ||
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