Department for Enterprise
162 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 100.0%
The Freedom of Information requests to the Department for Enterprise reveal an authority that is selectively transparent, often disclosing aggregate statistics and operational timelines while rigorously guarding specific financial details and commercial relationships. A dominant theme is the 'commercial interest' exemption, which is repeatedly invoked to withhold data on the Isle of Man TT (357873, 357871) and major business grants (1373637, 522836). While the Department readily provides figures on trademark income (357847) or website development costs (1060362), it consistently refuses to compile or release data on safety expenditures, rescue operations, and the specific financial terms of government support for key industries like Triumph and Eagle Labs. This pattern suggests a strategy of maintaining public confidence in the event's popularity while obscuring the true fiscal risks and subsidies involved.
Key Cases
Case 357873 — This case represents a significant transparency failure regarding public safety. The Department withheld all information on the costs of rescue helicopters, safety equipment, and road barriers for the TT, citing 'commercial interests'. Given the life-or-death nature of these expenditures, the refusal to disclose safety spending is highly contentious.
Case 1060362 — A rare instance of full financial disclosure for a digital project. The Department revealed the exact cost (£137,144.18) of developing and running the 'iomttraces' website and timing system, providing a clear benchmark for the cost of government digital infrastructure that contrasts with the redactions seen in other tech cases.
Case 1373637 — This case highlights the 'economic prejudice' exemption used to shield major corporate relationships. The Department confirmed no grants were given for a new Triumph factory but withheld specific details on grants awarded since 2013, preventing public scrutiny of the financial support given to one of the island's largest employers.
Case 1854325 — A politically sensitive case involving the Chief Minister. The Department withheld details on whether Howard Quayle received public COVID-19 support for his holiday cottages, citing personal data and breach of confidence. This refusal to confirm or deny high-level political financial interests undermines public trust.
Case 357847 — This case provides a crucial baseline for the TT's commercial value. By disclosing the total income generated by licensing the TT trademark from 2012-2016, it reveals the revenue stream that often offsets the massive undisclosed costs seen in other cases, painting a partial picture of the event's financial reality.
Related FOI Stories
The True Cost of the Isle of Man TT — #357847, #357853, #354749, #357861, #357867
Enterprise Development Scheme & Business Support — #357891, #462337, #514142, #522836, #617366
Infrastructure: Broadband, Telecommunications & Digital Strategy — #1206549, #1327609, #1368137, #1470773, #1050263
Land Registry, Housing & Development — #354735, #357743, #357859, #357863, #357885
Immigration, Work Permits & Employment — #357739, #449057, #455234, #498133, #881965
All (162)
All information sent (162) ·
Some information sent but part exempt (59) ·
Information not held (53) ·
Some information sent but not all held (43) ·
No information sent - all held but exempt (18) ·
Not upheld (8) ·
Not required to fulfill request (6) ·
Upheld - partial (3) ·
Upheld - full (2) ·
Request lapsed - requested information not provided (2) ·
Withdrawn (1) ·
Neither confirm or deny information held (1) ·
Information Notice (1) ·
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-01-28 | Financial support | All information sent |
| The request sought details on financial assistance provided to businesses owned by Members of the House of Keys (MHKs) under various COVID-19 schemes. The Department for Enterprise disclosed payment data for seven MHKs across multiple support schemes, noting that salary support information was not held. | ||
| 2022-01-28 | Mortality | All information sent |
| The requester asked for total death statistics for the Isle of Man in 2020 and 2021, and whether deaths occurring off-island after patient transfer are included. The Department for Enterprise directed the requester to publicly available statistics from the Cabinet Office and clarified that off-island deaths are not recorded in their data. | ||
| 2022-01-21 | Strategic Capacity Scheme Rounds 1 - 8 | All information sent |
| The requester asked for total payout amounts and per-claim breakdowns for Strategic Capacity Scheme Rounds 1-8. The Department for Enterprise confirmed that all requested information was sent to the requester. | ||
| 2021-12-06 | EU whistleblowing directive and Employment Act 2006 | All information sent |
| The requester asked for all documents regarding the EU Whistleblowing Directive and its relation to the Employment Act 2006, specifically citing a UK-EU trade agreement deadline. The Department for Enterprise responded by providing a summary of the directive's protections and an email detailing minor updates to a Tynwald Committee report regarding compliance timelines. | ||
| 2021-11-24 | Registered Deaths | All information sent |
| The requester asked for monthly registered death statistics from 2016 to the present, split by age. The authority provided data for August to November 2021 but refused the 2016-2019 data due to lack of readily available format and confirmed that age at death is not recorded by the Department for Enterprise. | ||
| 2021-11-24 | Registered Deaths cause of death | All information sent |
| 2021-10-29 | Cost of Covid-19 public information advertising and notices. | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the Department for Enterprise's spending on Covid-19 public information advertising between February 2020 and September 2021, specifically targeting payments to Manx Radio and IOM Newspapers. The authority disclosed three distinct cost categories totaling over £212,000, breaking down the specific amounts paid to the requested media outlets for each campaign. | ||
| 2021-10-22 | Timeout Advertising | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the agreement, financial records, and performance metrics regarding a Timeout advertising article about the Isle of Man. The Department for Enterprise provided the agreement and financial details via email and disclosed specific traffic and engagement statistics for the campaign. | ||
| 2021-10-22 | Gifts | All information sent |
| The request sought records of all gifts given by the Department for Enterprise between 2017 and 2021, specifically for individual recipients. The authority disclosed five specific instances of gifts totaling £362.37, noting that no formal register exists for such items. | ||
| 2021-09-29 | Job creation | All information sent |
| The requester asked for annual figures on businesses moved or set up and jobs relocated since 2016, but the Department for Enterprise could not provide direct breakdowns due to data being held across various projects and divisions. Instead, the authority disclosed aggregate statistics on job creation, business support funding, and specific scheme outcomes over the last five years. | ||
| 2021-08-16 | Red Arrows | All information sent |
| A request was made to determine the funding amount from the Domestic Events fund for the Red Arrows event on August 28, 2021. The Department for Enterprise confirmed that £7,500 was allocated to the event organized by Manx Radio. | ||
| 2021-08-03 | Registered Deaths | All information sent |
| A request was made for monthly registered death statistics in the Isle of Man from July 2019 to July 2021, and the Department for Enterprise provided the complete dataset as requested. | ||
| 2021-06-29 | Registered Deaths past 12 months | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the total number of registered deaths in the Isle of Man for the 12 months preceding May/June 2021, split by month. The Department for Enterprise disclosed the specific death counts for each month from June 2020 to May 2021. | ||
| 2021-06-07 | Changes to Immigration policy | All information sent |
| The requester sought correspondence, meeting notes, and policy papers regarding changes to Immigration Rules SD2021/0002 and SD2021/0155 concerning Worker Migrants and third-party employment. The Department for Enterprise responded by stating that all requested information had been sent and closed the request. | ||
| 2021-05-11 | Pricecooperwaterhouse Report. | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a copy of a PriceCooperWaterhouse report received in May 2019, an attached letter from PWC, and a schedule of proposed changes. The Department for Enterprise confirmed that all requested information was sent to the applicant. | ||
| 2021-05-04 | TT Spending | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a breakdown of £1m spent by the Department for Enterprise on motorsport events and the TT. The authority responded that the £1m figure represented remaining contractual spend after significant savings were made due to the 2020 event cancellation, and provided economic impact data from 2019. | ||
| 2021-04-07 | How much money has been given to the Hospitality sector? | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department for Enterprise for data on financial support provided to the hospitality sector (pubs, cafes, and restaurants) since March 2020. The authority confirmed the scope of the request and stated that all information was sent, though the specific monetary figures are not included in the provided text. | ||
| 2021-03-29 | Urban Development Agency Models - PWC Report | All information sent |
| The request sought details regarding the PwC report on Urban Development Agency models, including costs, distribution, and internal memos. The Department for Enterprise disclosed the report cost, dates, and distribution lists but withheld internal memos under a public interest exemption. | ||
| 2021-03-23 | Land Registry Fees | All information sent |
| The requester asked for details on how Land Registry fees are used and the justification for tiered pricing on the Isle of Man. The Department for Enterprise disclosed that all income goes to the General Reserve, provided 2020/21 budget figures, and noted significant capital investment in digital services. | ||
| 2021-03-08 | Print breakdown by print suppliers. | All information sent |
| A request was made for a breakdown of print spending by the Department for Enterprise with six specific suppliers for the year 2020. The authority disclosed the full net spend for each supplier, totaling approximately £34,778, along with a detailed transaction ledger. | ||
| 2021-01-04 | Manx Solidarity Fund | All information sent |
| The requester asked how much money the Department for Enterprise applied for, was granted, and used from the Manx Solidarity Fund. The authority responded that the department did not apply for any funds, meaning no money was granted or used. | ||
| 2020-12-17 | Strategic Capacity Scheme | All information sent |
| The requester asked for details on personnel, beneficiary lists, and specific funding allocations for the Strategic Capacity Scheme and the Department for Enterprise during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authority confirmed that no specific additional budget or overtime funds were allocated to the department, that beneficiary lists are not required to be published, and provided links to complaints procedures. | ||
| 2020-11-30 | Campsite funding for covid-19 | All information sent |
| The requester asked for statistics on permanent and temporary campsites receiving or not receiving COVID-19 financial assistance from the Department for Enterprise. The authority disclosed that zero temporary campsites received funding because they are ineligible, while noting there are 25 registered temporary campsites. | ||
| 2020-10-12 | Chamber of Commerce Payments | All information sent |
| A requester asked for financial records of payments from the Department for Enterprise to the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce between January 2018 and June 2020. The authority disclosed all requested information, providing copies of records and stating the total amount paid was GBP 129,767.88, including a payment made shortly after the requested period. | ||
| 2020-10-08 | Eagle Labs Funding Update | All information sent |
| The requester asked for an update on the amount paid from a £324,062.50 underwriting figure for Eagle Labs between March 2018 and June 2019. The Department for Enterprise disclosed that a total of £120,299.54 had been paid under the guarantee arrangement between March 2018 and October 2020. | ||
| 2020-09-16 | Request fir information regarding Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) | All information sent |
| Prospect Trade Union requested data on Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) policies and balances for the Department for Enterprise. The authority disclosed employee counts, TOIL balances, approval processes, and financial equivalents, but withheld net savings data as it required new analysis. | ||
| 2020-09-14 | 2020 Worldwide Broadband Speed League | All information sent |
| A requester asked for all correspondence and internal documentation regarding the 2020 Worldwide Broadband Speed League, and the Department for Enterprise responded by providing the National Telecommunications Strategy document. | ||
| 2020-07-15 | Gef the Mongoose correspondence & financial transactions | All information sent |
| The requester sought all contracts, invoices, and correspondence regarding 'Gef the Mongoose' and 'Mongoose Media Limited' for 2020. The Department for Enterprise disclosed ten PDF documents containing the requested information, including details of financial payments totaling GBP 2,225.00. | ||
| 2020-06-11 | National Broadband plan procurement process | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the National Broadband Plan procurement, including the chosen partner, technology type, and cost breakdown. The response confirmed Manx Telecom as the winner for a £10m project to deliver FTTP to 99% of premises, but withheld specific cost breakdowns citing trade secrets. | ||
| 2020-05-28 | Companies registry late filing charges | All information sent |
| The requester asked for annual statistics on late filing charges for Annual Returns between 2009 and 2019, but the Department for Enterprise disclosed that specific data is unavailable due to system limitations and payment methods. Instead, the authority provided a general estimate that late fees account for approximately 5% of the Companies Registry's total income. | ||
| 2020-03-10 | Dept for Enterprise Payments to Manx Radio | All information sent |
| The request sought details on Department for Enterprise payments to Manx Radio and other media organizations between 2014 and 2019. The authority confirmed payments to Radio Manx Ltd, provided a breakdown of contracted coverage and sponsorship costs, but stated no records exist for payments to other media outlets. | ||
| 2019-11-19 | iomttraces website finances | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a financial breakdown of the costs to create and run the iomttraces.com website and associated Isle of Man TT social media outlets. The Department for Enterprise disclosed that the total cost for development and operation up to December 2019 was £137,144.18, detailing specific expenses for website creation, hosting, transcription services, and a live timing system. | ||
| 2019-09-16 | Land Registry Rectification of Title | All information sent |
| The requester asked for statistics on Land Registry rectification of title applications under Section 65 of the Land Registration Act 1986 for 2017, 2018, and 2019. The Department for Enterprise disclosed that while the data is stored against individual titles rather than a central register, they collated the information and confirmed all applications are referred to the Land Registrar. | ||
| 2019-08-27 | Obelisks | All information sent |
| The request sought all documents regarding the proposed erection of Obelisks at Port Jack Headland and other sites by the Department for Enterprise. The authority disclosed four specific attachments including departmental papers, email exchanges, an engineering report, and a letter from Onchan Commissioners, while noting that phone transcriptions were unavailable. | ||
| 2019-06-13 | Road Races Act 2016 | All information sent |
| The requester asked how visitors are informed about the Road Races Act 2016 and whether this information appears on travel documents. The Department for Enterprise disclosed that while they do not specifically publicize the Act, they provide safety guidance, road closure notices, and offence warnings via the TT website, local press, radio, social media, and physical leaflets, but confirmed they hold no information regarding travel booking documents. | ||
| 2019-06-10 | Training Handover to DESC | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the budget and staff numbers transferred from the Department for Enterprise to DESC regarding training services. The authority disclosed that a total budget of £1,795,346 and five staff members were transferred as part of the handover. | ||
| 2019-05-16 | Blockchain Office cost | All information sent |
| A request was made to confirm the rental costs paid by the Digital Isle of Man Agency for blockchain offices located in the Hubb. The Department for Enterprise disclosed that the agency pays £30,000 per year in rent for these offices. | ||
| 2019-05-14 | Eagle Labs funding | All information sent |
| The request sought details on government funding and loss underwriting for Eagle Labs. The response disclosed a joint financial guarantee agreement with Barclays Bank and the Chamber of Commerce, specifying the maximum cover amount and the actual sum paid to date. | ||
| 2019-05-13 | Subsidy to Manx Rally | All information sent |
| The request sought details on subsidies paid to the organizers of the Rally IOM held in May 2019. The Department for Enterprise disclosed a £10,000 marketing payment and underwriting agreements totaling £33,000 for potential losses across two events. | ||
| 2019-05-09 | Ship Registry Information | All information sent |
| A request for detailed data on Isle of Man Ship Registry fee changes and pleasure yacht registration statistics was largely fulfilled with eight documents, though specific income estimates were withheld. | ||
| 2019-04-15 | TT prize money | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department for Enterprise regarding TT prize money, travel expenses, corporate costs for Rob Callister, and complimentary marquee passes. The authority disclosed that prize and travel details are in the 2019 regulations, confirmed no payments were made to Rob Callister, and stated 56 VIP tickets were issued. | ||
| 2019-04-09 | Firework TT cost | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department for Enterprise regarding the cost of the previous year's TT firework display. The authority responded by disclosing the total expenditure for the event. | ||
| 2019-03-25 | Manx Radio | All information sent |
| The requester sought details on the contract and payment for Manx Radio's TT 2019 coverage, including why no tender process occurred. The Department for Enterprise disclosed the total contract value but withheld specific contract provisions citing commercial interests. | ||
| 2019-03-14 | Manx Radio Tender | All information sent |
| The requester asked for documents regarding the award of a contract to Manx Radio, alleging it violated Financial Regulations. The Department for Enterprise disclosed the approved contract papers and a Treasury confirmation email, clarifying that a valid exemption from specific financial regulations was obtained prior to the contract. | ||
| 2019-01-03 | Enterprise Development Scheme | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department for Enterprise regarding the Enterprise Development Scheme, specifically asking for total payouts, job creation figures, and fees paid to the scheme manager. The authority disclosed that £3.937 million was invested, 20 jobs were created, and £631,372 was paid to Spark Impact. | ||
| 2018-09-24 | ISLEXPO costs and revenue | All information sent |
| The request sought a full breakdown of costs and revenue for the ISLEXPO event from 2016 to 2018, which the Department for Enterprise provided in aggregate form while noting that a granular breakdown for 2017 and 2018 would require substantial research not mandated by the FOI Act. | ||
| 2018-09-04 | To Motorsport Department - Qualifications of drivers | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department for Enterprise regarding driver qualifications, speed restrictions, and risk assessments for official vehicles used during the TT and Manx Grand Prix. The authority responded by disclosing the full 'Manx Grand Prix & Classic T.T. Road Races Authorisation 2018' document, which outlines the legal framework and regulations for the event. | ||
| 2018-07-23 | Information regarding Motorsport Organisation | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department for Enterprise regarding motorsport safety, Clerk of the Course qualifications, and investigations into recent incidents. The authority disclosed the number of qualified clerks and confirmed contact with safety directors, but stated it held no information on contingency plans or specific investigation reports as these are managed by the event organizers. | ||
| 2018-07-11 | New car promotion | All information sent |
| The request asked how much money the Department for Enterprise sought from Audi for a new car launch event. The response disclosed that no money was sought because the event was viewed as a mutually beneficial partnership for worldwide promotion. | ||
| 2018-06-20 | TT Funfair | All information sent |
| The requester asked for details on government financial contributions to the TT Funfair, including payments to organizers and travel costs. The Department for Enterprise confirmed that no financial contribution is made by the government and that the funfair covers its own expenses. | ||
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