professional body costs policy

Summary

The request sought details on professional body fees paid or reimbursed to employees and the existence of a related policy. The authority disclosed that no policy exists, no reimbursements were made, and listed specific subscriptions paid for officers between April 2018 and the date of response.

Key Facts

• The Office of the Clerk of Tynwald does not have a professional costs policy.
• No professional body fees have been reimbursed to any employee.
• Subscriptions were paid for bodies including the Society of Clerks-at-the-Table, Commonwealth Hansard Editors Association, and Study of Parliament Group.
• Financial records were searched from April 2018 to the date of the response.
• Professional subscriptions necessary for duties are not considered a taxable benefit in kind.

Data Disclosed

• April 2018
• March 2019
• March 2020
• March 2021
• 2021-12-06
• 2021-12-16
• 2127151

Original Request

How many employees and what was the total cost of any professional bodies fees (i) paid on behalf of an empoyee (ii) reimbursed to an employee for each professional body such as the Isle of Man Law Society, CIPD, CIM, BCS, ACCA, CIPFA, IOD, etc and what is the professional body costs policy if any and was any tick box or evidence of a disclosed taxable benefit of kind required?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-Ordinator Office of the Clerk of Tynwald Legislative Buildings Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PW Telephone: 01624 685500

Our ref: 2127151 16 December 2021

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 6 December 2021 and which states:

"How many employees and what was the total cost of any professional bodies fees (i) paid on behalf of an empoyee (ii) reimbursed to an employee for each professional body such as the Isle of Man Law Society, CIPD, CIM, BCS, ACCA, CIPFA, IOD, etc and what is the professional body costs policy if any and was any tick box or evidence of a disclosed taxable benefit of kind required?" While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. We do not have a professional costs policy.

I have detailed below the information that is held.

Please quote the reference number 2127151 in any future communications. Our response to your request (a) How many employees and what was the total cost of any professional bodies fees (i) paid on behalf of an empoyee (ii) reimbursed to an employee for each professional body such as the Isle of Man Law Society, CIPD, CIM, BCS, ACCA, CIPFA, IOD, etc Your request does not specify a timeframe so we have searched financial records from April 2018 to date. i. We can confirm that subscriptions have been paid by the Office in order for officers or the organisation to be members of the following bodies:

April 2018 – March 2019 Commonwealth Hansard Editors Association Organisation Society of Clerks-at-the-Table (SOCATT) Clerk of Tynwald / Deputy Clerk of Tynwald April 2019 – March 2020 British-Irish Parliamentary Reporting Assoc. Organisation Commonwealth Hansard Editors Association Organisation Study of Parliament Group Deputy Clerk of Tynwald Society of Clerks-at-the-Table (SOCATT) Clerk of Tynwald / Deputy Clerk of Tynwald April 2020 – March 2021 Study of Parliament Group Deputy Clerk of Tynwald Society of Clerks-at-the-Table (SOCATT) Clerk of Tynwald / Deputy Clerk of Tynwald April 2021 to date British-Irish Parliamentary Reporting Assoc. Organisation Society of Clerks-at-the-Table (SOCATT) Clerk of Tynwald / Deputy Clerk of Tynwald Study of Parliament Group Deputy Clerk of Tynwald ii. We can confirm that no professional body fees have been reimbursed to an employee. (b) what is the professional body costs policy if any The office does not have a professional costs policy. (c) was any tick box or evidence of a disclosed taxable benefit of kind required? No. The Income Tax Division’s ‘Expenses and Benefits in Kind Guide 2021’ states: No chargeable benefit arises where an employer meets the cost of an employee’s professional subscription, provided that it can be demonstrated that the professional subscription is necessary or helpful to the employee in the performance of their duties.

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