Department for Enterprise
359 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 45.1%
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 (359)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-11 | Staff bonuses | Not upheld |
| A request was made for details on staff bonuses, contracts, and authorization metrics at the Department for Enterprise, which was ultimately not upheld following an internal review regarding excessive redactions of non-personal data. | ||
| 2025-02-07 | TT changes cost and information | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the decision-making process and costs regarding the shortening of the Manx Grand Prix schedule in 2022 and its subsequent reversion to a two-week format including the Classic TT. The Department for Enterprise disclosed that the 2022 changes were a joint decision with the MMCC to ensure sustainability, while the 2024 reversion was driven by concerns over decreased visitor numbers and financial pressures. | ||
| 2025-02-06 | Enterprise Development Scheme 2018 (EDS) | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought detailed financial data on companies funded by the Enterprise Development Scheme 2018, including names, loan amounts, repayment terms, and returns. The Department for Enterprise disclosed the names of three funded companies and the total funding split but withheld specific individual financial details citing commercial sensitivity. | ||
| 2025-02-06 | Digital Board | Information not held |
| A request was made for a register of interests for Digital Isle of Man Board Members, but the Department for Enterprise responded that this information is not held. | ||
| 2025-02-06 | Cube Partnership/International | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the amount of money recovered from Cube International Limited owed to the Isle of Man government and local businesses. The Department for Enterprise stated it could not provide this information because the liquidation process is still ongoing. | ||
| 2025-02-05 | Hospitality Board | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request for information regarding the Hospitality Isle of Man Board, including terms of reference, membership, minutes, and the resignation of its chair, resulted in partial disclosure. The Department for Enterprise released the terms of reference and initial meeting minutes but withheld other documents citing that the board is a volunteer group and the information is held on its behalf, while also exempting personal details regarding the chair's resignation. | ||
| 2025-02-03 | Green Living Energy | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought detailed statistics on the Green Living Energy grant scheme, including application volumes, offer letters, and payments broken down by month. The Department for Enterprise provided a comprehensive weekly dataset covering applications, approvals, and payments from February 2023 to February 2025, though some specific qualitative questions regarding staff numbers and house inspections were not explicitly answered in the provided text. | ||
| 2025-01-09 | Bonus payments | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details on bonus payments to Department for Enterprise staff over five years, including counts, totals, and specific KPIs. The authority disclosed the number of recipients and total amounts paid but withheld specific performance metrics citing personal data exemptions. | ||
| 2025-01-07 | Staff Remuneration | Upheld - partial |
| The requester asked for the number of Department for Enterprise staff in specific salary bands, their salary maxima, and job titles. The authority disclosed the staff counts and job titles but withheld salary maxima for individually contracted staff citing data protection exemptions. | ||
| 2024-12-31 | Settlement Agreements | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for statistics and a template regarding Settlement Agreements issued by the Department for Enterprise since September 2021. The authority refused to disclose the data citing personal data exemptions and stated that no blank template exists as agreements are case-specific. | ||
| 2024-12-17 | awards for excellence | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought details on government support for the 'Awards for Excellence' over five years, including funding, sponsorship, and ticket allocations. The Department for Enterprise disclosed specific funding amounts and ticket numbers for most years but stated that venue subsidy details and specific ticket recipient names were not held. | ||
| 2024-12-11 | Ocean Castle Port Erin - Island Infrastructure Money | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details on funding applications by Ocean Castle Limited for a Port Erin development, but the authority clarified that no such application was made by that entity. While confirming a separate application by the Tevir Group, the Department for Enterprise withheld specific cost details citing commercial interest exemptions. | ||
| 2024-12-09 | Digital Isle of Man at SiGMA Malta | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request for meeting details, expenses, and objectives regarding a Digital Isle of Man trip to Malta was partially fulfilled, with specific documents released but significant information withheld due to data protection and economic interest exemptions. | ||
| 2024-12-03 | Lawbit | All information sent |
| The request sought details on a £500,000 investment by the Department for Enterprise into Lawbit Isle of Man Ltd, including the funding scheme and safeguards. The authority disclosed the investment amount, the Enterprise Development Scheme 2015 as the funding vehicle, and the specific security measures taken, such as secured loan notes and debentures. | ||
| 2024-11-27 | Visit Isle of Man - Video Campaign | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked if the Monty Halls Visit Isle of Man video campaign went to tender and requested a breakdown of the £15,000 production costs. The authority confirmed a Quick Quote tender process was used but stated they do not hold a specific cost breakdown as the project was invoiced as a fixed fee. | ||
| 2024-11-18 | MT buyout | Information not held |
| A request was made for correspondence regarding a potential Manx Telecom buyout offer to the Isle of Man Government, but the Department for Enterprise confirmed no such information is held because no offer was ever made. | ||
| 2024-11-05 | DIGITIAL ISLE OF MAN - MANILA TRIP - POGO | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request for Lyle Wraxall's diary, meeting minutes, expense receipts, and registers of interests regarding a Manila trip was partially fulfilled, with the authority disclosing flight itineraries and payment details while withholding other documents. | ||
| 2024-10-24 | Cunningham's Holiday Camp site in Douglas | Information not held |
| The requester asked for details on government involvement in the purchase of Cunningham's Holiday Camp and financial costs related to King Gaming and Jade Tree Limited. The Department for Enterprise responded that it holds no information on these matters as it was not involved in the acquisition nor did it provide any financial support or incur costs for the companies. | ||
| 2024-10-22 | Work permits | All information sent |
| The request sought data on non-EU work permits, benefits for immigrants, and refugee status grants; the Department for Enterprise provided detailed work permit statistics for periods after January 2020 but referred the requester to the Treasury for information on benefits and refugee status. | ||
| 2024-10-22 | Work permits to non EU Nationals | All information sent |
| 2024-10-09 | Monty Halls Cost - Visit Isle of Man | All information sent |
| The request sought the total cost of Monty Halls' visits and a breakdown of the 'Extraordinary Isle' video production costs. The Department for Enterprise disclosed that Halls was not paid specifically for the video but under a £20,000 ambassadorial contract, while the campaign production cost £15,000. | ||
| 2024-10-07 | NextGen | All information sent |
| The requester asked for financial records and provider selection details for NextGen Network events, and the Department for Enterprise disclosed that one event was held in September 2024 with a total cost of £275.85, providing the receipt and explaining the venue selection process. | ||
| 2024-10-04 | Underwritten loans | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought a record of all losses underwritten by Visit Isle of Man between October 2021 and September 2024, but the response provided only a standard offer letter template rather than specific loss data. The authority disclosed the terms and conditions for event funding guarantees while withholding the actual financial records of losses. | ||
| 2024-10-01 | Grants | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for statistics on employee relocation incentive grants, including amounts spent, number of grants, and retention rates for the last financial year. The Department for Enterprise disclosed that detailed statistics are published annually in the Enterprise Act 2008 Annual Report, but withheld specific 2023/2024 data pending publication and confirmed that retention data is not held. | ||
| 2024-09-25 | Tourism figures | All information sent |
| The requester asked for quarterly tourism figures from 2018 to 2024, and the Department for Enterprise provided available data while explaining gaps due to the pandemic and the resumption of surveys in 2023. | ||
| 2024-09-24 | Shipping Registry - number of Manx fishing vessels which have sank | All information sent |
| The request sought details of Manx fishing vessels removed from the Shipping Registry due to sinking since 2011. The authority disclosed one vessel officially removed and two others reported sunk but awaiting official removal confirmation. | ||
| 2024-09-24 | Central Registry Income | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a detailed breakdown of Central Registry income for the 2023-24 financial year, and the Department for Enterprise provided a comprehensive report categorizing income by cost centres including Companies, Land & Deeds, and Civil Registry. | ||
| 2024-09-09 | Temporary Workers Employed via Agencies | All information sent |
| The request sought the number of temporary workers employed by the Department for Enterprise via third-party agencies in 2023 and 2024, broken down by grade. The authority disclosed the specific counts for two agencies, Paragon and Search & Select, across three job grades. | ||
| 2024-09-03 | Isle Of Man TT Website | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details on how the Isle of Man TT website contract was awarded to DotPerformance and the associated costs. The Department for Enterprise confirmed the procurement process and contract date but withheld specific financial figures under a commercial interest exemption. | ||
| 2024-09-02 | FoI Costs | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester asked for the cost of providing Freedom of Information responses over the past three financial years. The Department for Enterprise refused the request, stating they do not hold this specific data and would need to create it through substantial analysis. | ||
| 2024-08-29 | TT & MGP Pitlane fire cover | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for historical costs and tender details for fire cover services provided by IOMFRS and SFRS for the TT and MGP events over the past five years. The Department for Enterprise disclosed that it could not provide the specific costs for SFRS due to an upcoming competitive tender, citing commercial prejudice, while the response regarding IOMFRS was cut off in the provided text. | ||
| 2024-08-27 | NSC Gym memberships | Information not held |
| The requester asked for data on active NSC Gym memberships and single visit purchases for 2024, but the Department for Enterprise responded that they do not hold this information. | ||
| 2024-08-27 | AML training to Employees of the Department for Enterprise | All information sent |
| The requester asked if Anti-Money Laundering (AML) training is provided to Department for Enterprise employees and sought statistics on coverage and frequency. The authority confirmed that AML training is not mandatory for all staff but is provided to specific roles, disclosing that 25% of the Enterprise Support Team and 5% of the Aircraft Registry have received such training. | ||
| 2024-08-23 | Details of The Ecenomic Strategy Board members | All information sent |
| The request sought the names of individuals comprising the Economic Strategy Board, and the Department for Enterprise disclosed the full list of ministerial members and routine officer attendees. | ||
| 2024-08-20 | VIP tickets for the TT | All information sent |
| The request sought details on hospitality and gifts provided by the Department for Enterprise to Members and others at taxpayer expense, following media reports about Chief Minister Alf Cannan. The authority disclosed a list of sponsored events and guest numbers from 2021 to 2024, noting that most costs were part of wider sponsorship packages, though specific costs were provided for a few events. | ||
| 2024-08-08 | AirBnB registrations | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for annual registration statistics for Airbnb properties over the last five years, but the Department for Enterprise disclosed that it does not hold this specific data because it registers all visitor accommodation generically without distinguishing by booking platform. | ||
| 2024-07-23 | documents over 25 years old temporarily returned to DHA in 2021 | All information sent |
| 2024-07-17 | #3705689 difference of opinion on omissions v "new" information | Not required to fulfill request |
| 2024-07-16 | Government support for the redevelopment of the Ocean Castle site | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request was made for financial cases, meeting minutes, conflict declarations, and strategic analysis regarding government support for the Ocean Castle redevelopment under the Island Infrastructure Scheme. The Department for Enterprise partially responded by providing links to scheme legislation and guidance but withheld specific project documents and analysis. | ||
| 2024-06-28 | South Africa Chamber of Commerce | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought invoices, contracts, photographs, and attendee lists for the Department for Enterprise's sponsorship of the South African Chamber of Commerce Gala Dinners in 2023 and 2024. The Department provided the financial documents but disclosed that no photographs were held and no private attendee list existed as the drinks were open to all event guests. | ||
| 2024-06-26 | Locate Isle of Man Promotional Video | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought details on the production, costs, and participant payments for a specific Isle of Man promotional video. The Department for Enterprise confirmed the video was externally commissioned, disclosed the full production cost breakdown, and stated that no payments or reimbursements were made to the subjects. | ||
| 2024-06-18 | Rejected company names | All information sent |
| 2024-06-18 | The challenges and benefits of relocating to the Isle of Man | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought all records, including contracts and payments, related to a media article on the challenges and benefits of relocating to the Isle of Man. The Department for Enterprise disclosed email correspondence regarding the collaboration but withheld personal data under exemption, confirming no financial expense was incurred for the article. | ||
| 2024-06-11 | Red Arrows | All information sent |
| The request sought the annual costs of bringing the RAF Red Arrows to the Isle of Man for the last 10 years, and the Department for Enterprise disclosed a detailed breakdown of costs for each year from 2014 to 2023. | ||
| 2024-06-06 | Promotional materials for Locate.im | All information sent |
| The Department for Enterprise responded to a request regarding promotional materials for the 2024 Isle of Man TT, disclosing that no new beer mats were ordered but 2,000 from 2023 stock were distributed, alongside details on other produced collateral and associated costs. | ||
| 2024-06-03 | Chamber of commerce South Africa gala dinner | All information sent |
| The request sought a breakdown of Finance Isle of Man's platinum sponsorship expenditure for the South African Chamber of Commerce gala dinner in London. The authority disclosed all information, providing a detailed list of costs totaling over £20,000 including sponsorship fees, travel, and promotional items. | ||
| 2024-05-22 | IOM TT | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a link to 2024 TT restricted area maps and clarification on marshal powers to move spectators. The authority provided the relevant website link and confirmed that marshals have broad powers under the Road Races Act 2016 to remove individuals based on safety risks, provided they issue a warning. | ||
| 2024-05-13 | Green Living Grants | All information sent |
| The request sought statistics on Green Living Grants and EPC surveys, to which the Department for Enterprise responded with data on grant offers, payments, and clarified that Manx Home Energy Audits (MHEAs) replaced EPCs. | ||
| 2024-04-30 | Employment Agencies List and Enforcement | All information sent |
| The request sought a list of registered employment agencies and details of enforcement actions over the last five years. The Department for Enterprise disclosed a list of 24 licensed agencies and provided summaries of six specific enforcement cases or investigations. | ||
| 2024-04-30 | DFE19022024 | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester sought the final analysis from a tender comparing high street business costs between the UK and the Isle of Man. The Department for Enterprise disclosed that the work has not been completed because two previous procurement attempts failed to receive suitable submissions. | ||
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