Grants to Triumph

Summary

The requester asked for details on grants awarded to Triumph since 2013, including amounts, purposes, and caveats, as well as whether grants were given for a new factory. The Department for Enterprise withheld specific grant details citing economic prejudice but confirmed no grants were given for a new factory and provided links to aggregated annual reports and sample terms.

Key Facts

• Specific grant amounts, purposes, and caveats for Triumph were withheld under section 30 of the Act.
• The exemption was applied because disclosure could prejudice the economic interests of the Island by deterring other businesses from applying.
• Aggregated data on companies receiving assistance is published annually in reports to Tynwald.
• Financial assistance terms generally last for 3, 5, or 10 years.
• No grants have been given to build a new factory, though dialogue exists regarding the government-owned factory leased to Triumph.

Data Disclosed

• 2013
• 2020-07-17
• 2020-08-10
• 3 years
• 5 years
• 10 years
• 1373637

Exemptions Cited

• Section 30 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (prejudice to economic interests)

Original Request

Please provide in the amounts in grants awarded to Triumph from 2013. What were the grants awarded for. What caveats applied to the grants Has there been grants given to build a new factory in principle

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator 1st Floor, St Georges Court Upper Church Street, Douglas Isle of Man IM1 1EX

Telephone: (01624 682381) Website: www.gov.im/ded Email: anthony.walker@gov.im

Our ref: 1373637 4 August 2020

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 17 July 2020 and which states:

"Please provide in the amounts in grants awarded to Triumph from 2013. What were the grants awarded for. What caveats applied to the grants Has there been grants given to build a new factory in principle"

Our response to your request is as follows: Questions 1-3 inclusive: While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the information is exempt from disclosure under section 30 of the Act as disclosure would be likely to prejudice the economic interests of the island. This exemption would apply because we consider that releasing information into the public domain regarding whether a business has received a grant, what the grants were awarded for and the terms and conditions of the grants would be likely to prejudice the economic interests of the Island as businesses might be put off applying for grants from the Department if these details were to be made public. However, the Department publishes an annual report to Tynwald which lists all of the companies who have received assistance via the Financial Assistance Scheme and the total value of the payments made. Information is shown in aggregated form and individual grant payments are not disclosed. The latest edition of this report can be found at https://www.tynwald.org.im/business/opqp/sittings/20182021/2019-GD- 0061.pdf

Financial assistance can be for a range of purposes such as investment in plant & machinery. All financial assistance is subject to standard terms and conditions which generally are for 3, 5 or 10 years. An example of these terms and conditions are available from the Government’s website at this link https://www.gov.im/media/150878/fas-scheme-sample-terms.pdf With reference to the last question, regular dialogue takes place in relation to the factory which is owned by Government and leased to Triumph, including the longer term options for factory space. No grants have been given to build a new factory.

Please quote the reference number 1373637 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely