Department of Home Affairs
48 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 162.5%
The Freedom of Information requests to the Department of Home Affairs reveal an authority that is highly transparent regarding its own administrative spending and prison operational policies, yet structurally fragmented when it comes to policing data. A clear pattern emerges where the DHA readily discloses financial details, such as the £4.20 daily prison food cost (921153), the lack of Manx-made bread in prisons (1252086), and the specifics of fire safety self-regulation (415933). However, the department frequently acts as a gatekeeper rather than a data holder for law enforcement, consistently responding with 'Information not held' to queries about crime statistics, traffic accidents, and arrest numbers, directing requesters to the separate Isle of Man Constabulary (e.g., 540837, 1049662). This creates a transparency gap where the public can see the cost of running the prison but struggles to get a unified picture of police activity.
Key Cases
Case 377143 — This case is notable for addressing a sensitive human rights issue: the lack of a specific policy for transgender and gender-fluid prisoners, revealing that care is managed via individual plans rather than standardized protocol, which raises questions about consistency in treatment.
Case 1294977 — A critical disclosure during the pandemic, this case confirmed that 24 individuals were sentenced to custody for breaching emergency regulations, providing concrete evidence of the severity of the government's enforcement strategy during the crisis.
Case 415933 — This case exposed a significant regulatory gap in fire safety, revealing that the system relies heavily on self-regulation with minimal prosecutions, challenging the public's assumption of active enforcement for flat and licensed premises safety.
Case 927918 — Regarding the ITV programme 'The Best Little Prison in Britain', the DHA refused to release most internal documents, citing they were 'reasonably accessible' via Hansard. This highlights the tension between media scrutiny and the department's interpretation of public availability exemptions.
Case 2005465 — This request provided a comprehensive breakdown of resignations and workforce statistics within the Prison & Probation Service, offering rare insight into staff retention and the internal stability of the correctional system over a three-year period.
Related FOI Stories
Prison Operations, Welfare, and Procurement — #377143, #379735, #415636, #636965, #709665
Fire Safety Enforcement and Emergency Response — #415933, #356127, #361209, #743265, #762066
Policing Data Fragmentation and Jurisdictional Deflection — #413642, #373633, #445035, #540837, #575339
Pandemic Enforcement and Emergency Powers — #1277345, #1293345, #1294977, #1354141, #1601449
Government Property and Financial Transparency — #379238, #378340, #378936, #379240, #451740
All (48)
Information not held (103) ·
All information sent (78) ·
Some information sent but not all held (48) ·
Some information sent but part exempt (17) ·
No information sent - all held but exempt (12) ·
Request lapsed - requested information not provided (3) ·
Not upheld (3) ·
Repeated request (2) ·
Not required to fulfill request (2) ·
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-19 | Civil Defence | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought the total spending on new Civil Defence vehicles since 2022 and a detailed fleet list. The Department of Home Affairs provided the fleet inventory but stated they do not hold spending data, advising the requester to contact the Department of Infrastructure. | ||
| 2025-10-06 | Use of Prison Cubes | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought data on non-day release inmates occupying prison cubes and details on their management; the authority disclosed that no such occupancy data is recorded but provided context on the unit's purpose and referenced previous FOI responses. | ||
| 2025-08-28 | Foreign national inmates at Jurby Prison | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for detailed monthly statistics on foreign national inmates at Jurby Prison over the last five years, including demographics, detention status, and offence types. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed general gender and crime category statistics but refused the specific foreign national data, stating it is not recorded for statistical purposes. | ||
| 2025-07-28 | Isle of Man Prison | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought details on the cessation of off-island prison training and monthly control and restraint staffing levels since 2020. The authority confirmed off-island training stopped in 2018 and could not provide historical correspondence, while disclosing that no mandated staffing levels exist and providing KPI data for staff up-to-date with training. | ||
| 2025-07-08 | Road Traffic Collisions at Church Bends since 2020 | Some information sent but not all held |
| The Parish of Malew and Santan requested detailed statistics on road traffic collisions at Church Bends since 2020, but the Department of Home Affairs stated it does not hold the specific data required to fulfill the request. | ||
| 2025-07-01 | Fire Service Cardiac & Cars | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for statistics on cardiac arrest responses and details regarding unmarked fire service vehicles. The authority disclosed the number and purpose of unmarked vehicles but refused to provide cardiac arrest statistics as it would require creating new records. | ||
| 2025-06-30 | Isle of Man prison staffing, inmates and issues | Some information sent but not all held |
| The Department of Home Affairs provided annual inmate population figures from 2020 to 2024 and details on a new wing's occupancy, but refused to provide monthly breakdowns of violence, injuries, and lockdowns as the data does not exist in the requested format. | ||
| 2025-06-26 | Work carried out by offenders who have been given community service | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought details on the number of offenders on community service and the specific work carried out in the last 12 months. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed the total number of offenders and general categories of work but refused to provide specific project details, citing that compiling such data would require creating new information. | ||
| 2025-04-09 | Isle of Man prison staffing, inmates and issues | Some information sent but not all held |
| The Department of Home Affairs responded to a Freedom of Information request regarding Isle of Man prison staffing levels and turnover from 2020 to May 2025, providing detailed monthly headcount and churn data while withholding information on bullying complaints, contracted hours, and length of service. | ||
| 2024-11-29 | Prisoners Christmas meals and the prices | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the Christmas dinner menu and cost breakdown for inmates at the Isle of Man Prison. The authority provided the menu and confirmed dietary accommodations but refused to disclose costs as the data is not centrally collated and creating it would require new analysis. | ||
| 2024-11-11 | Defibrillators onboard Police Vehicles and Fire Appliances | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought details on defibrillators in Police and Fire vehicles; the Department of Home Affairs disclosed that Fire Appliances carry Lifepak CR Plus and Phillips Heartstart models but stated they do not hold information regarding Police Vehicles as the Constabulary is a separate authority. | ||
| 2024-08-29 | TT & MGP fire cover | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for tender details and costs for fire cover at the TT and MGP events over the past five years. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed that the Fire Service does not tender for these services but provided a total cost of £128,000, while directing the requester to public websites for procurement policies. | ||
| 2024-08-16 | Cherished vehicle registrations | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2024-08-14 | UK prisoner transfers | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought monthly prisoner transfer data to the UK since 2020 and details on non-resident prisoners awaiting transfer. The Department of Home Affairs provided the transfer statistics but refused the other queries under FOIA exemptions regarding the creation of new information. | ||
| 2024-06-20 | Cost of new accommodation cabins at Jurby Prison. | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for details regarding new accommodation cabins at Jurby Prison, including costs, allocation criteria, and operational regimes. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed the estimated installation cost and confirmed the cabins are for male prisoners only, but withheld information on allocation criteria, move-in dates, and daily regimes as these procedures were not yet finalized. | ||
| 2024-05-15 | Fire and Rescue Service charges | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought 10 years of data on Fire and Rescue Service charges for false alarms and prank calls, including unpaid amounts. The authority provided 7 years of data for false alarm charges but confirmed no charges were issued for prank calls and stated they do not hold records on unpaid charges. | ||
| 2024-03-20 | police complaints confidentiality | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2024-01-25 | Paper related costs | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2024-01-11 | flood at the old headquarters | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-10-17 | Number of inmates at the Isle of Man Prison | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-08-25 | Prison meals | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-08-23 | Prison staffing levels | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-07-13 | Civica iCasework cloud hosted system user licences and contract | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-07-13 | FOI requests protected, DSAR requests unprotected by system audit log | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-04-25 | Contingency Plans for Worst Case Scenario | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-03-06 | E-cigarettes Prison | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-02-27 | Suicides in the Isle of Man Prison | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2022-02-03 | Ambulance Service / ESJCR | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made to the Department of Home Affairs regarding the Emergency Services Joint Control Room's dispatch systems, AMPDS versions, and ambulance operational statistics. The authority disclosed the system's introduction date, upgrade history, and audit counts, but withheld information on replacement timelines, specific incident data, and ambulance response metrics, often directing the requester to Manx Care. | ||
| 2021-12-23 | Solar Panel | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for details on the solar panels for the Carnane telecoms mast, but the Department of Home Affairs disclosed only mounting system information because the procurement process is incomplete and planning permission has not yet been granted. | ||
| 2021-09-09 | police rent and housing allowance fixed amounts | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for historical police rent and housing allowance figures from 1992 to 2021 and the number of current recipients. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed the 2021 allowance amount and recipient count but withheld historical data because the Freedom of Information Act only applies to information created after October 2011. | ||
| 2021-07-27 | Coronavirus arrests and sentences since 2020 | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request for statistics on coronavirus arrests, juvenile involvement, custodial sentences, and fixed penalty notices in the Isle of Man from March 2020 to July 2021 was partially fulfilled. The Department of Home Affairs provided data for the period up to March 2021 and total custodial sentences, but withheld information for April to July 2021 and juvenile sentence counts as it is held by other authorities. | ||
| 2021-06-03 | everbridge | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2021-01-08 | Coronavirus arrests and sentences in 2020. | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for statistics on arrests, custodial sentences, and fixed penalty notices for Coronavirus Regulation breaches in the Isle of Man during 2020. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed the number of custodial sentences but stated it did not hold data on arrests or fixed penalty notices, directing the requester to other authorities. | ||
| 2020-11-03 | Explosive device disposal | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2020-09-16 | Request for information regarding Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made to the Department of Home Affairs for data on employee numbers and Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) policies, balances, and costs. The authority disclosed staff counts and TOIL balances for specific divisions but withheld information on approval processes, average accrual times, and financial equivalents as it was not held or required derivation. | ||
| 2020-09-07 | Family Court Statistics | Some information sent but not all held |
| The Department of Home Affairs responded to a request for Family Court statistics from 2018 to 2020, disclosing data on completed residency disputes, shared care requests, self-representation, and psychological assessments. Several specific queries regarding gender breakdowns of resident parents, legal aid funding details, and advocate performance were refused as the authority does not hold this data. | ||
| 2020-05-18 | Total persons sentenced to custody for breach of Emergency Powers Regs | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought the total number of persons sentenced to custody for breaching Emergency Powers Regulations 2020. The authority disclosed a corrected figure of 24 sentenced individuals but stated it does not hold data regarding juvenile defendants. | ||
| 2020-02-24 | Number of staff | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for details on remand prisoners, their privileges, work eligibility, and specific vocational training programs. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed the number of remand prisoners and their visit privileges but stated that records on remand duration and specific training data were not held. | ||
| 2020-01-27 | Isle of Man Fire service call outs and Risk Assessments | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought fire service call-out statistics for the last three years and risk assessments for converted living accommodation at Douglas Fire Station. The authority provided total call-out numbers for all stations and aggregate automated fire alarm data, but refused specific time-based breakdowns due to excessive cost and stated that the risk assessment documents were not held. | ||
| 2019-12-04 | Cost of a lunch for a prisoner | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for a breakdown of the average cost of a prisoner's lunch into raw ingredients and cooking costs. The Department of Home Affairs stated they do not hold this specific breakdown but disclosed that the average cost per meal per day is £4.20. | ||
| 2019-11-15 | Laxey Weir works & and resulting flooding | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester sought correspondence between the Department of Home Affairs, MUA, and contractors regarding the Laxey Weir flooding and predicted weather on 1st October 2019. The authority disclosed a Met Office weather warning and a redacted Multi-Agency Report but confirmed it held no direct correspondence with the MUA or contractors on the specific topics requested. | ||
| 2019-11-12 | Offender supervision by the Isle of Man Probation Service | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for statistics on offenders supervised by the Isle of Man Probation Service, including details about their spouses' residency. The authority disclosed the total number of offenders under supervision but confirmed that data regarding spouses or their locations is not held. | ||
| 2019-11-11 | Police and Prison absences | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for the number of police and prison officers absent due to illness. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed that 5 prison officers were absent but stated they do not hold data on police absences, which is managed by the Isle of Man Constabulary. | ||
| 2019-11-11 | No of staff above prison officer grade time of in lieu for the 3 mont | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made to the Department of Home Affairs for staffing numbers, absence data, and qualification details for prison staff. The authority disclosed the number of admin and senior officers and explained the lack of formal qualifications for the Head of Security, but stated that data on staff time off in lieu was not held. | ||
| 2019-11-05 | Sickness absence at IoM Fire and Rescue Service | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for sickness absence figures for the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service, including specific data on full-time firefighters and five-year comparisons. The Department of Home Affairs provided some held information but could not supply data on multiple absences for specific individuals or precise full-time firefighter breakdowns due to analytical limitations. | ||
| 2019-09-30 | Additional days and Legal Aid | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request for information regarding additional days and legal aid was submitted to the Department of Home Affairs. The authority responded by providing some held information but confirmed that other requested data was not held by the Prison service. | ||
| 2018-03-15 | Police Stations | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought details on former police station sales and current officer numbers on the Isle of Man. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed that three non-operational properties were sold but stated they do not hold data on officer numbers, advising the requester to contact the Isle of Man Constabulary. | ||
| 2017-12-21 | Literacy | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for data on prisoner illiteracy rates and assessment programs for learning disabilities in the Isle of Man. The Department of Home Affairs confirmed they do not hold specific literacy statistics but detailed the voluntary assessment processes and support available for dyslexia. | ||