Office of the Clerk of Tynwald
7 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 285.7%
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-18 | Memo | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester asked for the upload date of a memo regarding a £20 million supplementary vote for the Department of Health & Social Care. The Office of the Clerk of Tynwald refused to disclose the date, citing an exemption because the information is held for future publication. | ||
| 2024-07-17 | Friends of Isreal Isle of Man | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester asked for details on any financial or in-kind connections between Tynwald members and the 'Friends of Israel' group. The Office of the Clerk of Tynwald stated it was not required to fulfill the request because the relevant information is already publicly available on the Register of Members' Interests, where no results were found for the specific group. | ||
| 2023-07-10 | Dr Ranson vs DHSC (part one) sent originally as email dated 18th June | Not required to fulfill request |
| 2023-07-10 | Dr Ranson vs DHSC (part two) | Not required to fulfill request |
| 2023-07-10 | Dr Ranson vs DHSC (part three) | Not required to fulfill request |
| 2022-07-07 | Costings of the Tynwald ceremony | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester asked for fully audited yearly costs of the Tynwald Day Ceremony for the past 10 years, but the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald refused to disclose the information immediately under a qualified exemption, committing instead to publish the data on their website by September 2022. | ||
| 2021-10-04 | records transfer and certificates of destruction | Not required to fulfill request |