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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-01-30 | Concerning sheep worrying | All information sent |
| The requester asked for detailed statistics on livestock worrying and dog attacks in the Isle of Man for the full year of 2017, mirroring a previous request. The Department of Home Affairs confirmed that all requested information was held and disclosed in full, including incident counts, locations, and dog details. | ||
| 2018-01-08 | Public warning sirens | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the annual cost and rationale of the Isle of Man's public warning siren system, as well as studies on using social media as a cost-saving alternative. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed the maintenance costs, the number of sirens, the rationale regarding mobile network failures, and confirmed that no specific studies on social media alternatives were provided, though work with GTS is ongoing. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2017-12-06 | Nationality of prisoners | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Home Affairs for statistics on the nationality and status of prisoners at Jurby prison. The authority disclosed the total population, the split between convicted and remand prisoners, and the breakdown of birthplaces as of December 11, 2017. | ||
| 2017-10-10 | Bread | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Home Affairs for details on bread and bap purchases over the last three months. The authority disclosed the specific quantities, costs, and origin of the frozen white and brown bread and baps purchased between July and October 2017. | ||
| 2017-09-20 | Fire certificates | All information sent |
| The requester asked for statistics on fire certificate compliance, inspection numbers, and prosecutions for flats and licensed premises in the Isle of Man for 2015-2017. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed that the regulations rely on self-regulation with minimal prosecutions, providing specific counts of compliant and non-compliant properties and inspection figures. | ||
| 2017-08-25 | Prison catering | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request was made to the Department of Home Affairs for prison utility costs and staff salaries, to which the authority responded by disclosing the specific financial figures for the 2016-2017 period while noting that healthcare staff costs were excluded. | ||
| 2017-07-07 | Prison reception booklet | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a copy of the prison reception booklet referenced in the Custody Rules 2015, but the Department of Home Affairs disclosed that no such booklet exists because inmates did not read it, providing instead various induction documents and policies covering the same information. | ||
| 2017-05-22 | Registration Ramsey Courthouse | All information sent |
| The requester asked about existing covenants on the deeds or registration of the Ramsey Courthouse building and grounds. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed that this information was already made publicly available through a Tynwald Question and its subsequent Hansard record. | ||
| 2017-04-17 | Prison food, bread, dairy and meat | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request was made to the Department of Home Affairs regarding the origin of bread, cream, potatoes, and meat supplied to the Isle of Man Prison. The authority confirmed that most items are sourced from local suppliers or grown on-site, though bread and cream are not Manx-made. | ||
| 2017-04-13 | Submission border consultations | All information sent |
| A request was made for consultation submissions regarding proposed ID verification measures at harbours from the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and the Information Commissioner. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed the Steam Packet Company's submission but confirmed that no response was received from the Information Commissioner. | ||
| 2017-04-13 | Emails DHA / ICO | Information not held |
| A request was made for emails between the Department of Home Affairs and the Information Commissioner regarding data collection from Isle of Man Steam Packet passenger manifests. The authority responded that no such records were held after searching the relevant officer's Outlook account. | ||
| 2017-03-27 | Prison catering information | All information sent |
| 2017-03-16 | Lease of Ramsey Town hall | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the annual rent and lease duration for Ramsey Police's use of Ramsey Town Hall. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed that the lease is for 21 years starting in 2012, with an annual rent of £15,300 adjusted for inflation. | ||
| 2017-03-13 | Transsexual, transgender and gender-fluid prisoners | All information sent |
| The requester asked if the Isle of Man Department of Home Affairs had specific policies for transgender and gender-fluid prisoners. The authority confirmed that no such specific policy exists, stating instead that individual care plans are created for each offender based on their unique needs and transition stage. | ||
| 2017-03-09 | IOM valuer advice on sale of Ramsey Couthouse | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the valuation report on the sale of the Ramsey Courthouse, but the Department of Home Affairs directed them to the Tynwald Hansard records instead of providing the document directly. | ||
| 2017-02-27 | DHA steam packet emails | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for emails between the Department of Home Affairs and the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company regarding harbour verification measures, but no information was disclosed as it was deemed exempt under Section 34 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2017-01-12 | Sale of property of Homefield Douglas | All information sent |
| The request sought information regarding the Minister of Home Affairs' withdrawal from the sale of the Homefield property at 88 Woodbourne Road, Douglas. The authority disclosed all requested information, including email exchanges and council minutes confirming the sale was paused and subsequently withdrawn due to the site's strategic value. | ||