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
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-26 | Contract to ACUE regarding TT Races | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the research justifying a non-competitive contract with ACUE for the TT Races and the associated yearly costs. The Department for Enterprise disclosed that ACUE is the only qualified organizer due to licensing and experience, and revealed the 2024 contract value and specific payment to ACUE. | ||
| 2024-04-16 | Permit for TT firework display in Douglas Bay Marine Nature Reserve | All information sent |
| The requester asked for permits regarding fireworks in the Douglas Bay Marine Nature Reserve for 2019, 2022, and 2023, along with confirmation on cleanup efforts and plastic-free policies. The authority responded by providing a new permit for June 2024 which mandates the use of biodegradable materials and requires the site to be returned to its pre-activity state, though it did not explicitly provide the historical permits for the requested years. | ||
| 2024-03-25 | Memorandum of Understanding with AI Singapore | All information sent |
| 2024-03-21 | IOM Opportunities Strategic Partnership Agreement and Complaints | All information sent |
| 2024-03-18 | Organisation Chart | All information sent |
| 2024-02-28 | PRO transactions log | All information sent |
| The request sought a transaction log for a specific Department of Home Affairs file regarding police employment terms held at the Public Record Office. The authority disclosed all information, providing details on the file's transfer, closure period expiry, and a log of six specific access events between 2022 and 2024. | ||
| 2024-02-20 | TT & MGP General Finances | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2024-02-13 | Catering at TT24 Grandstand | All information sent |
| 2024-02-06 | Greenhouse gas emissions from the TT Red Arrows | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2024-02-06 | TT Races: Wallaby Risk Assessment | All information sent |
| 2024-02-05 | Travel Writers | All information sent |
| 2024-01-03 | EET rules 2018 drafting instructions | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2024-01-01 | unlawfully employed previous DHSC CEO investigation | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-12-19 | unlawful employment cases detected internally or reported by 3rd party | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-12-19 | Executive Agencies | Information not held |
| 2023-12-06 | Castletown | Information not held |
| 2023-11-16 | Visitor numbers and salaries | All information sent |
| 2023-11-16 | Mountain Bike Trail park | All information sent |
| 2023-11-15 | Feasibility Study | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-10-30 | Work Permit Figures Inc Declined | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-10-27 | Business Migrant endorsement - gender and representation | Not upheld |
| 2023-10-26 | Cube | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-10-24 | Work Permit Consultation - List of Responses | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-10-19 | Executive Agencies | Upheld - partial |
| 2023-10-19 | Business help for Manx businesses - Shoprite/Ramsey Bakery etc | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-10-18 | Cube International debts | All information sent |
| 2023-10-17 | Live Isle of Man | Upheld - full |
| 2023-10-17 | Insurance for Delivery Drivers | All information sent |
| 2023-10-05 | .IM TLD Domain Registry Government Benefit / Revenue | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-10-02 | yellow card data, who reviewed it | All information sent |
| 2023-09-07 | Work Permits | Information not held |
| 2023-09-04 | Island Infrastructure Scheme | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-09-04 | LUKE DONNELLY | Information not held |
| 2023-08-25 | Cube Partnership/International | All information sent |
| 2023-08-21 | work permits | Not upheld |
| 2023-08-11 | Transport Festival | Information not held |
| 2023-07-24 | 2023 Work Permit Consultation | All information sent |
| 2023-07-19 | Earystane & Scards, Sulby & Druidale | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-07-14 | TT insurance policy excess | All information sent |
| 2023-07-13 | Micro Grant Scheme | All information sent |
| 2023-07-07 | public sector work permit exemptions claimed and notified | All information sent |
| 2023-07-07 | Request for yellow card data from this department | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-07-05 | Work Permits consultation and consultation responses | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-06-23 | Funding of Manx Development Corporation | Information not held |
| 2023-06-23 | Crogga Gas regulations | Information not held |
| 2023-06-20 | Terms of the exclusive distribution rights for IoM TT | All information sent |
| 2023-06-14 | Red Arrows cost | All information sent |
| 2023-06-12 | Channing Tatum | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-06-06 | Census 2020 | Information not held |
| 2023-06-06 | Locate and graduates | Some information sent but not all held |