Office of the Clerk of Tynwald
20 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 100.0%
The Freedom of Information requests to the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald reveal an authority that is highly protective of parliamentary privilege, often using it as an absolute shield against scrutiny of Member conduct, briefings, and internal investigations. Cases such as [2303135], [2324853], and [2598157] demonstrate a consistent refusal to disclose information regarding how Members are briefed or how conflicts of interest are managed, effectively creating a 'black box' around the political decision-making process. While the Clerk's Office is willing to release specific historical financial receipts for travel (e.g., [357251], [867165]), it frequently deflects broader questions about policy, staffing capacity, or legal costs by claiming the information is 'not held' or resides with other departments, highlighting a fragmented approach to government record-keeping.
Key Cases
Case 1620137 — This case resulted in the disclosure of 293 pages of documentation regarding a 2014 internship trial, revealing the detailed internal process of creating a cost-neutral trainee position. It stands out as one of the most voluminous and revealing disclosures regarding internal HR strategy.
Case 2303135 — An 'Upheld - full' decision where the authority refused to disclose briefings to Tynwald members, citing parliamentary privilege. This is a critical case for understanding the limits of FOI in the Isle of Man, as it confirms that the internal advice given to politicians is effectively shielded from public scrutiny.
Case 357251 — The disclosure of the Falkland Islands trip expenses included a correction of a previous transcription error in the total cost. This demonstrates the practical value of FOI in correcting the public record and ensuring financial accuracy for high-profile government travel.
Case 2598157 — This case involved a specific inquiry into whether MHK Andrew Smith declared a conflict of interest regarding a gas price vote. The refusal to disclose any investigation details, citing privilege, highlights the difficulty in holding individual members accountable for potential ethical breaches through the FOI route.
Case 4554501 — The request for a list of Freemasons in Tynwald roles resulted in the disclosure of three individuals who declared such interests. It is a notable example of the FOI Act being used to uncover specific, non-financial affiliations of public officials that might otherwise remain obscure.
Related FOI Stories
Parliamentary Privilege and Member Conduct — #525135, #2324853, #2303135, #2386337, #2598157
Government Travel and Expense Transparency — #357235, #357251, #357253, #357255, #867165
Legal Costs and External Services — #1446386, #1815433, #2562465, #4339578
Staffing, Employment, and Internal Governance — #1282345, #1620137, #1821233, #2127151, #4386569
Information Not Held vs. Jurisdictional Boundaries — #357237, #357243, #357245, #475038, #1624497
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-11 | FOI Request - Usher Contracts for Tynwald and Garden Party 2025 | All information sent |
| The requester sought standard contracts and terms for ushers at Tynwald Day and the 2025 Garden Party to investigate procedural fairness and termination rights. The Office of the Clerk of Tynwald disclosed a template written statement of terms and a job description, clarifying that new employment laws effective April 2025 necessitated written contracts for casual workers. | ||
| 2025-04-09 | Incumbent Speaker's portrait - alterations | All information sent |
| The requester asked for a recent photograph of Speaker Juan Watterson's portrait and details regarding any alterations made since its unveiling. The authority provided the photograph and confirmed that no alterations have been made to the portrait since it was unveiled. | ||
| 2025-04-01 | List of Freemasons holding Tynwald roles | All information sent |
| The request sought lists of Chief Ministers, Speakers, Presidents of Tynwald, and Chairmen of the Executive Council who were Freemasons. The authority disclosed three individuals who declared Freemasonry interests since October 2011 but noted that information regarding the Chairman of the Executive Council prior to 2011 is outside the scope of the Freedom of Information Act. | ||
| 2024-12-31 | Settlement Agreements | All information sent |
| The requester asked for statistics on settlement agreements issued by the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald since September 2021 and a blank template. The authority responded that no such agreements have been issued in that period and they do not hold a blank template. | ||
| 2024-03-06 | Register of Tynwald members' interests | All information sent |
| 2023-04-19 | Cost of website redesign | All information sent |
| 2022-10-25 | Portrait of Juan Watterson | All information sent |
| 2022-09-09 | Unpublished Responses to FOIA Requests | All information sent |
| The requester asked for copies of unpublished Freedom of Information Act responses from the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald since the Act's introduction. The authority disclosed that only two responses were not published in the log, providing a redacted copy of one and explaining the reasons for the exclusions. | ||
| 2022-08-03 | external legal services and costs | All information sent |
| The requester asked for details on external legal service payments made by the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald since January 2020. The authority confirmed that no new payments were made between June 2021 and August 2022, and referenced previous requests covering earlier periods which also found no payments. | ||
| 2021-12-20 | Changed Answers | All information sent |
| The requester asked for records of all written answers to Tynwald questions that were amended after publication since 2011. The authority disclosed two documents containing a specific instance from October 2014 where a written answer regarding ministerial delegations was corrected to remove a reference to Housing Services. | ||
| 2021-05-31 | external legal costs | All information sent |
| The requester asked for an itemised list of external legal costs not included in a previous FOI request, specifically looking for hidden transactions or accruals up to May 2021. The Office of the Clerk of Tynwald responded that no external legal costs were excluded from the previous response and no new costs have been recorded since September 2020. | ||
| 2021-01-04 | internships | All information sent |
| The request sought all documentation regarding the development of internship policies and strategies at the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald, specifically focusing on a 2014 trial. The authority responded by disclosing 293 pages across two documents containing emails, meeting minutes, and proposals detailing the creation of a cost-neutral trainee position. | ||
| 2020-08-25 | legal costs | All information sent |
| The request sought details of external legal service payments over the last six financial years, and the authority disclosed two specific payments made to the firm M&P for employment and summons advice. | ||
| 2020-03-23 | Distance between people | All information sent |
| The requester asked how Tynwald and the House of Keys would achieve 2-meter social distancing while seated. The authority responded by confirming that revised seating plans were implemented to maximize distancing and provided copies of these plans along with a media release. | ||
| 2020-01-28 | Expenses | All information sent |
| The request sought a breakdown of all MHK expenses for off-island trips in 2019, and the authority provided a detailed itemized list of claims made and granted for parliamentary business while noting that non-parliamentary trip costs are not held. | ||
| 2019-06-26 | Expenses from travel to Scotland from 27/02/2019 to 01/03/2019 | All information sent |
| A request was made for expense claims regarding a Tynwald study visit to the Scottish Parliament in February and March 2019, and the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald disclosed all information including travel, accommodation, and other costs. | ||
| 2017-12-21 | Dates and reasons for Leave of Absence (MHKs) and dates absence authorised by Speaker | All information sent |
| The request sought dates and reasons for Leave of Absence for Members of the House of Keys (MHKs) from October 2017, and the authority disclosed a table of specific absences while noting that exact authorization dates are not always recorded. | ||
| 2017-09-10 | 60th Plenary Conference - Cameroon | All information sent |
| The request sought expense details for the 60th CPA Plenary Conference in Cameroon and regulations regarding alcohol claims. The authority disclosed all expense records totaling £4,897.51 and clarified that financial regulations do not explicitly permit claiming alcohol as an expense. | ||
| 2017-09-07 | Trinidad and Tobago CSPOC Conference | All information sent |
| The request sought documentation for a 2012 trip to Trinidad and Tobago for the CSPOC Conference, and the authority disclosed all receipts and expenses while correcting a previous transcription error regarding the total cost. | ||
| 2017-08-03 | Falkland Islands Trip Feb 2013 | All information sent |
| The request sought documentation regarding the costs of a February 2013 trip to the Falkland Islands, and the authority disclosed all receipts, purchase orders, and expense claims while correcting a previous transcription error in the total cost. | ||