Department of Home Affairs
268 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 29.1%
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
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-05-31 | Illicit substances recovered within the Isle of Man Prison | All information sent |
| 2023-05-16 | DHA Equality and Employment Tribunals | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2023-05-15 | Capacity at Tromode House | All information sent |
| 2023-05-09 | prisoner numbers | Request lapsed - requested information not provided |
| 2023-05-04 | PHE delay and 'Toning down' of DHSC Medical Director clinical advice | Request lapsed - requested information not provided |
| 2023-05-04 | The purchase of wooden benches for the Isle of Man Prison | All information sent |
| 2023-05-02 | Road Traffic Collisions @ A24 Foxdale to Mines Road | All information sent |
| 2023-04-25 | Contingency Plans for Worst Case Scenario | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-04-07 | DBS checks | Information not held |
| 2023-03-29 | Government funded rehabilitation placements | Information not held |
| 2023-03-24 | Draft HMIP report | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| 2023-03-20 | Adoption and Fostering | Information not held |
| 2023-03-14 | Office Cyber Security and Information Assurance | Information not held |
| 2023-03-06 | E-cigarettes Prison | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-03-02 | IOM Prison attempted Suicide | All information sent |
| 2023-03-01 | Commuting, Travel and Expenses | All information sent |
| 2023-02-28 | Resignations Prison and Probation | All information sent |
| 2023-02-27 | Suicides in the Isle of Man Prison | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2023-02-23 | TikTok | Information not held |
| 2023-02-22 | Sickness Prison and Probation | All information sent |
| 2023-01-31 | List of all Dept of Home Affairs bids to Treasury | All information sent |
| 2023-01-26 | Policy on gender identities who are sentenced to prison | All information sent |
| 2023-01-24 | Suicide & Misadventure Verdicts | Information not held |
| 2023-01-24 | Man hours and costs for Friday 5th August 2022 at Jurby Incident | All information sent |
| 2023-01-24 | Manhours and costs to attend fires on Steam Train routes in 2022 | All information sent |
| 2023-01-10 | Sickness Meetings at the Prison | Information not held |
| 2023-01-10 | ex gratia police housing allowance issue payments | All information sent |
| 2022-12-06 | dogs worrying statistics | Information not held |
| 2022-11-14 | Internet cameras | Request lapsed - requested information not provided |
| 2022-10-21 | His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary ("HMIC") Report | Information not held |
| 2022-10-05 | New Firefighters | All information sent |
| 2022-09-27 | Police call outs to Pulrose in the last 12 months | Information not held |
| 2022-09-09 | Unpublished Responses to FOIA Requests | All information sent |
| 2022-09-06 | independent monitoring board | All information sent |
| The requester asked for details on the appointment process and member history of the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) from 2019 to 2022. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed the legal basis for appointments and confirmed that member names were withheld due to unanimous refusal, though appointment and expiry dates were provided. | ||
| 2022-09-05 | W3W Communications | All information sent |
| A request was made for all correspondence between the Department of Home Affairs and What 3 Words, including meeting metadata. The authority responded by releasing all requested information with minor redactions applied to personal details of staff. | ||
| 2022-08-23 | Police Pension scheme transfers | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Home Affairs for the number of police officers transferred to the 1991 pension scheme since April 2018 and the associated costs. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information and suggested contacting other departments. | ||
| 2022-08-11 | Legal advice | Information not held |
| The requester asked if the Department of Home Affairs sought legal advice in 2020 regarding quarantine charges and the use of the Comis Hotel. The authority responded that it did not hold such information because the Department of Infrastructure, not Home Affairs, was responsible for establishing the facility. | ||
| 2022-07-11 | Ransomware Attacks | Information not held |
| A request was made for records of six reported ransomware attacks on Isle of Man businesses in 2022, but the Department of Home Affairs responded that they do not hold this information. | ||
| 2022-07-07 | Parole Committee | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for the current membership list of the Isle of Man Parole Committee, but the Department of Home Affairs refused to disclose the information citing absolute exemptions for personal data. | ||
| 2022-07-06 | Employee Resident Status | Information not held |
| A request was made for details on non-resident employees within the Department of Home Affairs, specifically regarding the Isle of Man Prison, including names, salaries, and appointment approvals. The authority responded that the information is not held by the Department as employee records are maintained by the Office of Human Resources in the Cabinet Office. | ||
| 2022-05-19 | Court Fees - Parking offences | Information not held |
| The requester asked for statistics on parking offence appeals and associated court fees for 2021 and 2022. The Department of Home Affairs responded that they do not hold this information and directed the requester to the General Registry. | ||
| 2022-05-19 | Final number of Covid arrests and sentences | Information not held |
| The requester asked for final statistics on arrests and custodial sentences for breaching Coronavirus Regulations in the Isle of Man between March 2020 and April 2022. The Department of Home Affairs responded that they do not hold this information because the most recent Constabulary Annual Report containing the data has not yet been provided to them. | ||
| 2022-05-09 | Investigation Of Abbotswood and Lockdown meeting with Army | Information not held |
| The requester asked the Department of Home Affairs for details on hiring EXPOL for the Abbotswood investigation and the purpose/outcomes of a Chief Constable meeting with Army personnel in 2020. The Department stated it does not hold the specific information requested but clarified that the Army visit was a reconnaissance mission to assess pandemic response capabilities. | ||
| 2022-03-29 | Review | All information sent |
| The requester sought the internal review of the Department of Home Affairs referenced in a February 2022 press release. The authority disclosed the 'Blue Light Service' review document, originally commissioned in 2018 and updated in 2021, along with a link to a related parliamentary response. | ||
| 2022-02-14 | Offence relating to cannabis | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Home Affairs for detailed statistics on cannabis prosecutions, fines, and court costs on the Isle of Man since March 2019. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information and suggested contacting the Attorney General's Chambers instead. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2022-01-20 | Roberts Report | Information not held |
| A request was made for the 'Roberts Report' and related correspondence regarding an Employment and Equality Tribunal case, but the Department of Home Affairs confirmed it does not hold the information. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2021-11-10 | Prison applicant vetting | All information sent |
| The requester asked for prison officer vetting policies, a specific letter from the Prison Governor, and refusal statistics for the last five years. The Department of Home Affairs provided links to general recruitment policies but confirmed that the specific letter does not exist and the refusal data is not recorded. | ||
| 2021-10-22 | DHA Food and Drink | All information sent |
| The requester asked for records of food and drink expenditure by the Department of Home Affairs for the financial years 2017-18 through 2020-21. The authority disclosed the total expenditure figures for each year, noting that the costs primarily relate to the Prison, Custody, Court Cells, and Community Rehabilitation Centre, while excluding individual expense claims. | ||