Treasury
5 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 2080.0%
The Freedom of Information requests to the Isle of Man Treasury reveal an authority that is highly transparent regarding aggregate financial data but increasingly protective of operational details and specific contractual arrangements. The most striking disclosures concern the 'Aircraft VAT Refund' scheme, where the Treasury confirmed over £300 million in refunds between 2016 and 2019 before the practice ceased entirely (Cases 679571, 1121225, 2695289). Similarly, the Treasury has been open about systemic administrative challenges, admitting to a backlog of over 7,000 unassessed tax returns due to staffing shortages (Case 1178052) and providing detailed breakdowns of high-profile expenditures like the Manx Care CEO office (Case 4159610). However, a pattern of obstruction emerges in requests concerning legal aid and investment specifics. The Treasury has moved from providing aggregated legal aid costs to refusing to confirm or deny specific payments (Case 3851581) and labeling persistent inquiries as 'vexatious' (Case 4004962). Furthermore, while the Treasury discloses high-level asset allocations, it consistently withholds detailed pension fund holdings and consultancy billable hours, citing commercial sensitivity and ongoing tender processes (Cases 823766, 2592433). This suggests a government that welcomes public scrutiny of its bottom line but resists deep dives into the mechanics of its decision-making and specific vendor relationships.
Key Cases
Case 679571 — Discloses a staggering £253 million in VAT refunds for 68 aircraft between 2016-2018, revealing the scale of a specific tax incentive scheme that has since vanished from the records.
Case 4159610 — Provides a full breakdown of the £27.8 million expenditure by the Manx Care CEO office, a significant disclosure regarding healthcare leadership costs that was previously opaque.
Case 1178052 — Explicitly links a backlog of 7,424 unassessed tax returns to staffing shortages, offering a rare internal admission of administrative failure affecting revenue collection.
Case 4004962 — Marks a shift in the Treasury's approach to transparency, where a request for legal aid data was classified as 'vexatious' due to the frequency of correspondence, effectively blocking further scrutiny on that topic.
Case 2249733 — Directly addresses corruption concerns by confirming that no Covid-19 Salary Support Scheme payments were made to businesses linked to former Chief Minister Howard Quayle, providing a clear 'all clear' on a high-profile allegation.
Related FOI Stories
Aircraft VAT Refund Scheme — #679571, #1121225, #1651945, #2695289
Legal Aid Expenditure and Administration — #356063, #356067, #356065, #2541489, #2594293
Pension Fund Investments and Ethics — #433135, #823766, #847165, #1037461, #1558209
Tax Arrears and Collection Efficiency — #654168, #684267, #688567, #1178052, #1193049
Strategic Consultancy and 'Our Big Picture' — #2592433, #2594494, #2306897
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-06 | MDC rental eligibility criteria | Not upheld |
| The requester asked the Treasury for documents regarding rental eligibility criteria and allocation policies for the former nurses' home 'Thie Clag'. The Treasury refused the request, stating they do not hold the information because the Manx Development Corporation operates at arm's length from the government. | ||
| 2025-06-25 | KWC Loan Documentation held by the Treasury | Not upheld |
| The request sought copies of a Treasury Paper and accounting documentation regarding financial assistance for King William's College, but the outcome was 'Not upheld' with the response text provided containing the Treasury Paper itself. | ||
| 2025-03-03 | Imposition of VAT on Private School Fees | Not upheld |
| The request sought assessments, projections, and correspondence regarding the potential imposition of VAT on private school fees in the Isle of Man following UK Labour Party proposals. The Treasury disclosed internal correspondence with King William's College and the Buchan School discussing the existential threat of the policy and planned inter-departmental meetings to consider mitigation strategies. | ||
| 2024-08-20 | How many applications for Income Support in each of the last 3 years | Not upheld |
| The request sought statistics on Income Support applications, successful claims, and payments made to non-residents over the last three years. The Treasury disclosed the total number of new claims received but refused to provide data on successful claims or non-resident payments due to information not being held or requiring substantial compilation. | ||
| 2024-03-26 | legal aid contrary interest exception | Not upheld |
| The requester asked for statistics and documents regarding the 'contrary interest exception' for disregarding partner resources in Legal Aid applications for financial years 2021/22 to 2023/24. The Treasury responded that the information is not held because this exemption is not currently part of the Legal Aid assessment process and has never been discussed or applied. | ||