Chief Minister's financial interests

Summary

A request was made to confirm if Chief Minister Howard Quayle received public COVID-19 financial support for his holiday cottages and if it was declared. The Department for Enterprise withheld the specific details regarding grants or loans received, citing exemptions for personal data and breach of confidence, though they confirmed which schemes they administer.

Key Facts

• The request concerns Chief Minister Howard Quayle's ownership of 2 farms, 4 dwellings, and 12 holiday cottages.
• The Department for Enterprise administers the CSCS, BPSS, CBSS, CRS (BOG/BAG), and CLA schemes.
• The Manx Earnings Replacement Allowance (MERA) is administered by the Treasury, not the Department for Enterprise.
• The Department confirmed that 'Ballahowin Courtyard' is associated with the request but did not disclose financial amounts.
• The Information Commissioner's Office determined the initial response needed revision, leading to an apology for the delay.

Data Disclosed

• 2 farms
• 4 dwellings
• 12 holiday cottages
• 1.4.20 to 31.3.21
• 1.4.21 to 18.6.21
• 18 June 2021
• 07 February 2022
• Section 25
• Section 26

Exemptions Cited

• Section 25 of the Act (Personal Data)
• Section 26 of the Act (Actionable Breach of Confidence)

Original Request

In the Tynwald "Register of Members Interests", the Chief Minister Howard Quayle is listed as owning 2 farms, 4 dwellings plus 12 holiday cottages. 1. As an interest which might reasonably be thought by others to influence the Chief Minister's actions, please can you confirm whether Mr Quayle (as owner or director) received any public money (grants or loans) for such holiday cottage business under any DOE Covid financial support schemes including CSCS (Coronavirus Strategic Capacity tourism accommodation Scheme), BPSS (Business Premises Support Scheme), MERA, CBSS (Coronavirus Business Support Scheme),BOG (Business Overheads Grant), BAG (Business Adaption Grant) or CLA (Coronavirus Loan Agreements)? 2. If, so how much grant or loan did he receive under each individual scheme for the period 1.4.20 to 31.3.21? 3. And how much did he receive under each individual scheme for the period 1.4.21 to 18.6.21? 4. Has any and all such public money received by Mr Quayle been declared on the Register of Financial Interests? 5. Has he offered to repay the DOE any or all such taxpayer funded grant assistance? Thank you.

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

applicants should also be considered as absolutely exempt under section 25 of the Act, as any such information constitutes personal data of which you are not the data subject.

In conclusion therefore, the outcome of the review is to uphold in part the original response of the Department, but to modify it to include the additional exemption. As such, the modified response to your original request is:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the information is absolutely exempt under:

 Section 25 of the Act as information held by the Department in respect of individual scheme applicants constitutes personal data of which you are not the data subject; and

 Section 26 of the Act, as disclosure would constitute an actionable breach of confidence to any accommodation provider, individual or entity that sought financial assistance via the approved schemes.

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.

Yours sincerely

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: 1854325 07 February 2022

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 18 June 2021 and which stated:

"In the Tynwald "Register of Members Interests", the Chief Minister Howard Quayle is listed as owning 2 farms, 4 dwellings plus 12 holiday cottages. 1. As an interest which might reasonably be thought by others to influence the Chief Minister's actions, please can you confirm whether Mr Quayle (as owner or director) received any public money (grants or loans) for such holiday cottage business under any DOE Covid financial support schemes including CSCS (Coronavirus Strategic Capacity tourism accommodation Scheme), BPSS (Business Premises Support Scheme), MERA, CBSS (Coronavirus Business Support Scheme),BOG (Business Overheads Grant), BAG (Business Adaption Grant) or CLA (Coronavirus Loan Agreements)? 2. If, so how much grant or loan did he receive under each individual scheme for the period 1.4.20 to 31.3.21? 3. And how much did he receive under each individual scheme for the period 1.4.21 to 18.6.21? 4. Has any and all such public money received by Mr Quayle been declared on the Register of Financial Interests? 5. Has he offered to repay the DOE any or all such taxpayer funded grant assistance? Thank you." As determined by the Isle of Man Information Commissioners Office, the Department has now revised its initial response to you and wishes to apologise for the requested information not being made available to you sooner.

1. Our response to your request is as follows: In relation to part 1 of your request, the following Schemes to which you refer are administered by the Department for Enterprise: • Coronavirus Strategic Capacity (Tourist Accommodation) Scheme – SCS • Business Premises Support Scheme – BPSS • Coronavirus Business Support Scheme – CBSS • Coronavirus Recovery Scheme - CRS (BOG and BAG as referenced by you) • Coronavirus Loan Agreement – CLA Please note however that the Manx Earnings Replacement Allowance (MERA) is administered by the Treasury and as such the Department for Enterprise holds no information as to whether Mr Quayle (as owner or director) received any support under MERA. . You may wish to contact the Treasury to seek any information it may hold on this. The contact email address for The Treasury Data Protection Officer / Freedom of Information Coordinator is: DPO-Treasury@gov.im
   The Department confirms that Ballahowin Courtyard, of which My Howard Quayle is reported to be a Director, did apply to the Coronavirus Strategic Capacity (Tourist Accommodation) Scheme – SCS and received payment in respect of rounds one, two and five of the scheme. No application has been made to any other rounds of the Scheme to-date or to any of the other COVID support schemes operated by the Department for Enterprise. 2 & 3. In relation to parts 2 and 3 of your request; the following grant payments totalling GBP 57,125 were made under the Coronavirus Strategic Capacity (Tourist Accommodation) Scheme – SCS to Ballahowin Courtyard: • SCS Round one – GBP 11,375 – paid 13 July 2020; • SCS Round two – GBP 23,000 - paid 13 July 2020; • SCS Round five (1) – GBP 7,500 – paid 9 July 2021; • SCS Round five (2) – GBP 7,750 – paid 6 August 2021; • SCS Round five (3) – GBP 7,500 – paid 3 September 2021.
2. In relation to part 4 of your request, it should be noted that the Isle of Man Government Audited Accounts 2020 / 2021 includes the first two payments listed above (SCS Round one and two) made in relation to Ballahowin Courtyard. The Accounts are available on the Isle of Man Government website here: https://www.gov.im/media/1374132/audited-accounts-2020_21-final.pdf (see page 86).
3. In relation to part 5 of your request, the Department does not hold any record as to whether Mr Howard Quayle or Ballahowin Courtyard has offered to repay any monies received. Please quote the reference number 1854325 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.