DEFA money paid to Chief Minister Mr Howard Quayle.

Summary

A request was made to confirm if Chief Minister Howard Quayle received DEFA grants or loans between 2016 and 2021. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture responded that no such payments were made to him during his tenure, with the last payment to his business occurring in April 2016.

Key Facts

• The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture does not hold information regarding grants or loans paid to Howard Quayle between 2016 and 2021.
• Howard Quayle was sworn into the House of Keys on 4th October 2016 and subsequently elected as Chief Minister.
• Since becoming Chief Minister, Quayle has not received any Government grants or loans under DEFA financial schemes.
• The last payment by DEFA to a business owned by Mr Quayle was made in April 2016.
• The request referenced an Information Commissioner's Decision dated 20th January 2022 regarding Department of Enterprise payments.

Data Disclosed

• 2016
• 2021
• 4th October 2016
• April 2016
• 20th January 2022
• 2241505
• 2022-02-04
• 2022-02-18

Original Request

Please can you confirm the following: 1. Did Mr Howard Quayle, whilst IOM Chief Minister from 2016 to 2021 receive any Government grants or loans under any Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture financial scheme ( including the Agricultural Development Scheme, Countryside Care Scheme and Agri-Environment Initiatives Grant Scheme)? 2. If so, please confirm the exact amounts paid to Mr Quayle (in any capacity such as an individual or company owner or director) under each individual scheme for each of the years 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 (an itemised breakdown of the payments under each scheme each year is required). 3. Has Mr Quayle paid back to the government any of such tax payers' money? Please note that the above information is sought in the public interest and as a matter of transparency and DEFA will of course take note of the Information Commissioner's Decision dated 20th January 2022 relating to Department of Enterprise payments made to Mr Quayle when Chief Minister. Thank you.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator Corporate Services Directorate Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John’s, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS Tel no (01624) 685854 Fax no (01624 685851 Email: defa@gov.im www.gov.im

Our ref: 2241505 17th February 2022

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 4 February 2022 and which states:

"Please can you confirm the following: 1. Did Mr Howard Quayle, whilst IOM Chief Minister from 2016 to 2021 receive any Government grants or loans under any Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture financial scheme ( including the Agricultural Development Scheme, Countryside Care Scheme and Agri-Environment Initiatives Grant Scheme)? 2. If so, please confirm the exact amounts paid to Mr Quayle (in any capacity such as an individual or company owner or director) under each individual scheme for each of the years 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 (an itemised breakdown of the payments under each scheme each year is required). 3. Has Mr Quayle paid back to the government any of such tax payers' money? Please note that the above information is sought in the public interest and as a matter of transparency and DEFA will of course take note of the Information Commissioner's Decision dated 20th January 2022 relating to Department of Enterprise payments made to Mr Quayle when Chief Minister. Thank you."

Our response to your request is as follows. While our preference is to release information wherever possible in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after conducting a reasonable search, find the information requested. Further information Mr Quayle was sworn into the House of Keys on 4th October 2016 and was subsequently elected as Chief Minister. Since that time he has not received any Government grants or loans under any Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture financial schemes (including the Agricultural Development Scheme, Countryside Care Scheme and Agri-Environment Initiatives Grant Scheme). The last payment by DEFA to a business of Mr Quayle’s was in April 2016. Please quote the reference number 2241505 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.