Council of Ministers Senior Race Day Bank Holiday discussions

Summary

The request sought minutes regarding Council of Ministers discussions on cancelling and rescheduling the 2020 Senior Race Day Bank Holiday. The authority disclosed all information, providing 61 pages of documents including the Official Report of Tynwald Court proceedings from May 12, 2020.

Key Facts

• The request was received on 2020-05-11 and the outcome was 'All information sent' on 2020-06-08.
• The response included 61 pages across 2 documents from the Cabinet Office.
• The provided documents contain the Official Report of Tynwald Court proceedings held on Tuesday, 12th May 2020.
• The agenda for the May 12th sitting included a discussion on the cancellation of the Senior Race Day bank holiday 2020.
• The Chief Minister and other Council members were present during the virtual sitting where the topic was addressed.

Data Disclosed

• 2020-05-11
• 2020-06-08
• 61
• 2
• 12th May 2020
• Volume 137, No. 22
• 1878 T137
• 1879 T137
• 1881
• 1882
• 1886
• 1887
• 1888
• 1897
• 1898
• 1899
• 1909
• 1927
• 1928
• 1929
• 1742-2256
• 1936

Original Request

Please provide minutes and information regarding:- 1 - When Council of Ministers first discussed the cancellation of the Senior Race Day Bank Holiday for 2020? 2 - When Council of Ministers first discussed an alternative date for the Senior Race Day Bank Holiday 2020 to be taken?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Published by the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald, Legislative Buildings,
Finch Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3PW. © High Court of Tynwald, 2020

T Y N W A L D C O U R T O F F I C I A L R E P O R T

R E C O R T Y S O I K O I L Q U A I Y L T I N V A A L

P R O C E E D I N G S

D A A L T Y N

HANSARD

Douglas, Tuesday, 12th May 2020

All published Official Reports can be found on the Tynwald website:

www.tynwald.org.im/business/hansard

Supplementary material provided subsequent to a sitting is also published to the website as a Hansard Appendix. Reports, maps and other documents referred to in the course of debates may be consulted on application to the Tynwald Library or the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office.

Volume 137, No. 22

ISSN 1742-2256

TYNWALD COURT, TUESDAY, 12th MAY 2020

1878 T137

Present:

The President of Tynwald (Hon. S C Rodan OBE)

In the Council: The Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man (The Rt Rev. P A Eagles), The Attorney General (Mr J L M Quinn QC), Miss T M August-Hanson, Mr P Greenhill, Mr R W Henderson, Mrs K A Lord-Brennan, Mrs M M Maska, Mr R J Mercer, Mrs J P Poole-Wilson and Mrs K Sharpe with Mr J D C King, Deputy Clerk of Tynwald.

In the Keys: The Speaker (Hon. J P Watterson) (Rushen); The Chief Minister (Hon. R H Quayle) (Middle); Mr J R Moorhouse and Hon. G D Cregeen (Arbory, Castletown and Malew); Hon. A L Cannan and Mr T S Baker (Ayre and Michael); Hon. C C Thomas and Mrs C A Corlett (Douglas Central); Mrs C L Barber and Mr C R Robertshaw (Douglas East); Hon. D J Ashford and Mr G R Peake (Douglas North); Miss K J Costain (Douglas South); Mr M J Perkins and Mrs D H P Caine (Garff); Hon. R K Harmer and Hon. G G Boot (Glenfaba and Peel); Mr W C Shimmins (Middle); Mr R E Callister and Ms J M Edge (Onchan); Hon. A J Allinson and Mr L L Hooper (Ramsey); Hon. L D Skelly (Rushen); with Mr R I S Phillips, Clerk of Tynwald.

TYNWALD COURT, TUESDAY, 12th MAY 2020

1879 T137

Business transacted Procedural .................................................................................................................................. 1881 Announcement of Royal Assent – Registration of Business Names (Amendment) Act 2019 .... 1881 1. Standing Orders suspended to take the sitting virtually ........................................................ 1882 2. Urgent Questions ......................................................................................................... 1882 Procedural ........................................................................................................................... 1882 1. Cancellation of Senior Race Day bank holiday 2020 – Discussion by Council of
Ministers ............................................................................................................................. 1882 2. UK government quarantine regulations – Effect on Island residents travelling via UK .. 1886 3. Coronavirus Business Support Scheme and similar schemes – Originally ineligible applications ......................................................................................................................... 1887 4. Horse trams – Lines stopping at War Memorial rather than Sea Terminal .................... 1888 3. Urgent Motion ............................................................................................................. 1897 TT Senior Race Day bank holiday 2020 – Leave to debate not given.................................. 1897 Order of the Day .............................................................................................................. 1898 4. Standing Orders suspended to take Items 5 to 14 (Government business) ................... 1898 5. Papers laid before the Court ........................................................................................... 1898 6. Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Statement by the Chief Minister........................................... 1899 7. Emergency Powers Act 1936 – Emergency Powers (Coronavirus) (Entry Restrictions)
(No. 2) Regulations 2020 approved with amendment........................................................ 1909 8. Emergency Powers Act 1936 – Emergency Powers (Coronavirus)
(Provision of Temporary Accommodation) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 approved .... 1927 9. Emergency Powers Act 1936 – Emergency Powers (Coronavirus)
(Events and Gatherings) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 approved .................... 1928 10. Emergency Powers Act 1936 – Emergency Powers (Potentially Infectious Persons) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 approved ............................................................ 1928 11. Emergency Powers Act 1936 – Emergency Powers (Prohibitions on Movement) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2020 approved ............................................................ 1929 12. Emergency Powers Act 1936 – Emergency Powers (Coronavirus)
(Closure of Businesses and Other Premises) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2020 approved ............................................................................................................................. 1932 13. Financial Provisions and Currency Act 2011 – Coronavirus Business Support (Amendment) (No. 2) Scheme 2020 approved ................................................................... 1933 14. Social Security Act 2000 – Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (Application) (Amendment) (No. 6) Order 2020 approved ................................................ 1934 The Council withdrew. ................................................................................................................ 1935 House of Keys .................................................................................................................. 1935 The House adjourned at 5.59 p.m. ............................................................................................. 1935 TYNWALD COURT, TUESDAY, 12th MAY 2020

1880 T137

PAGE LEFT DELIBERATELY BLANK

TYNWALD COURT, TUESDAY, 12th MAY 2020

1881 T137 Tynwald

The Court met virtually at 2.30 p.m. Proceedings were conducted and broadcast live from the Legislative Council Chamber.

[MR PRESIDENT in the Chair]

The Clerk: The Speaker has entered the Chamber.

The Speaker: Fastyr mie, Hon. Members.

The Clerk: The Sword of State has been brought into the Chamber. The President is in the 5 Chamber.

The President: Fastyr mie, good afternoon, Hon. Members. The Lord Bishop will lead us in prayer.

PRAYERS The Lord Bishop

Procedural

The President: Hon. Members, I trust you are all well and welcome to this extraordinary 10 virtual sitting of the Court. This is a further regular Tuesday sitting of the Court during the period of the emergency; Tynwald will continue to sit weekly on Tuesdays at 2.30 p.m. to consider emergency business. Papers and motions for these additional sittings are to be submitted to the Clerk of Tynwald by 12 noon the day before. The next such deadline is therefore 12 noon on Monday, 18th May for 15 the sitting on Tuesday, 19th May, which will, however, also combine with the usual monthly sitting of Tynwald for May.

Announcement of Royal Assent – Registration of Business Names (Amendment) Act 2019

The President: Hon Members, I have to announce that the following Act has been signed in advance of the sitting by a quorum of Members and the Clerk duly forwarded it to His Excellency for Royal Assent. 20 I can announce that His Excellency has given Royal Assent to the Registration of Business Names (Amendment) Act 2019.

TYNWALD COURT, TUESDAY, 12th MAY 2020

1882 T137 1. Standing Orders suspended to take the sitting virtually

Mr Speaker to move:

That Standing Orders be suspended to the extent necessary to take this sitting virtually.

The President: Hon. Members, we now turn to our Order Paper for today. Item 1 is the suspension of Standing Orders to enable the virtual sitting. I call on Mr Speaker to move.

25 The Speaker: Gura mie eu, Eaghtyrane. I beg to move that Standing Orders be suspended to the extent necessary to take this sitting virtually.

The President: Hon. Member for Arbory, Castletown and Malew, Mr Cregeen. 30

Mr Cregeen: Thank you, Mr President. I beg to second.

The President: Hon. Members, I put the motion. It is assumed the Court is in agreement. If 35 there be any dissent, please indicate now. There being no dissent, the motion is carried.

1. Urgent Questions

Procedural

The President: We turn to Item 2, Urgent Questions. Hon. Members, under Standing Order 3.5(4) I have allowed Mr Moorhouse to ask three Urgent Oral Questions, which are on the Order Paper as we had notice of them before the Order 40 Paper was circulated. I have also allowed a further Question from the Hon. Member for Douglas South, Miss Costain, to the Minister for Infrastructure.

CHIEF MINISTER

1. Cancellation of Senior Race Day bank holiday 2020 – Discussion by Council of Ministers

The Hon. Member for Arbory, Castletown and Malew (Mr Moorhouse) to ask the Chief Minister:

When the Council of Ministers discussed the cancellation of the Senior Race Day bank holiday?

The President: I call on the Hon. Member for Arbory, Castletown and Malew, Mr Moorhouse. TYNWALD COURT, TUESDAY, 12th MAY 2020

1883 T137 Mr Moorhouse: Thank you, Mr President. 45 I would like to ask the Chief Minister when the Council of Ministers discussed the cancellation of the Senior Race Day bank holiday?

The President: I call on the Chief Minister to reply. Mr Quayle.

50 The Chief Minister (Mr Quayle): Thank you, Mr President. The Council of Ministers discussed and agreed the proposal to cancel the Senior Race Day bank holiday on 4th May 2020. Prior to that, Council had also discussed the possibility of making changes to this year’s bank holidays at its meeting on 30th April 2020. Mr President, may I take the opportunity at this stage to pre-empt some supplementaries 55 which I suspect Members will be wishing to ask? The communications around this matter have been less than satisfactory, and I do offer my apologies to Members for that. There are several very sensible reasons for moving the bank holiday from 12th June to 28th August. We trust that this date is far enough ahead so that some gatherings of family and friends could be allowed. Similarly, we consider that our retail, hospitality and leisure industry 60 could not only open, but this will provide some time to work out how to operate safely. A properly organised, long, four-day weekend could provide a significant boost to the domestic economy in this respect. And finally, an extended weekend will allow us to recognise, in a suitable manner, the efforts of the NHS and care staff, key workers and others across the community during the pandemic. 65 Thank you, Mr President.

The President: Mr Moorhouse, a supplementary question if you wish.

Mr Moorhouse: Thank you, Mr President; and thank you, Chief Minister. 70 Given that this was discussed before 12th May, why was it not raised in Tynwald previously, and why was it discussed at a press conference in such a manner? Also, what other dates were considered, please? Thank you, Mr President.

75 The President: Chief Minister to reply.

The Chief Minister: Thank you, Mr President. This was not raised by me at a press conference; it was raised by a member of the press. I think where the mistake had been made is that with all the various issues that we have going on 80 at the moment we just simply forgot that it was being put forward on the Tynwald agenda, as the Treasury Minister had planned to do a briefing to all Members or write to all Members the following day. It gets laid before the Court; it is not needed to be debated. We are not reducing the number, we are not planning to reduce the number of bank holidays; we are just rearranging it. So it was purely a technicality that, unfortunately, we made a mistake – hold our hands up. 85 We should have realised it was being advertised, we did not think it was and a journalist spotted it and raised it. It was not raised by me.

The President: Hon. Member for Onchan, Mr Callister.

90 Mr Callister: Thank you, Mr President, and I thank the Chief Minister for his response to the Question this afternoon. Can I ask the Chief Minister if the Council of Ministers actually engaged with local businesses to gain their opinion before making this announcement? If he did not, can I ask why not, given the financial difficulty that is facing the business sector at the moment? 95

TYNWALD COURT, TUESDAY, 12th MAY 2020

1884 T137 The President: Chief Minister to reply.

The Chief Minister: Thank you, Mr President. No, we did not directly go out and speak to the community, but we did take into account that 100 at this moment in time there are 9,000 people on salary support schemes, there are 1,900 on Manx Earnings Replacement Allowance and we have 1,347 on Jobseekers’ Allowance, an increase of circa one thousand, and claims for Income Support and Incapacity Benefit at 3,700. Therefore, it was clearly shown that these people would struggle to have a good bank holiday. Not only that, with all our restaurants, clubs and pubs shut, they would not be able to open in 105 time for the race day and therefore it was logical that this date was moved. I am surprised that the Hon. Member … Well, I hope he can support it, because it obviously supports an awful lot of industry. So the bank holiday will be kept; it will just be moved for this year and then next year it will be back to normal. It will be moved to a later date, when hopefully more of our population will 110 be able to enjoy it with the safety of, hopefully, being back at work, or a significant number being able to get back to work.

The President: Hon. Member for Rushen, Mr Speaker.

115 The Speaker: Thank you. Could the Chief Minister advise what will happen with public sector pay to those who are contracted to work on what was otherwise going to be the bank holiday and, indeed, what will happen in August? Secondly, will the Chief Minister advise that he anticipates the borders will still be shut in 120 August? Otherw

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