Member and Officer Travel and gift register

Summary

The request sought details of off-island travel and gift registers for politicians and officers during the 2011-2016 parliament. The authority provided travel data with partial redactions on officer names and authorization details, while confirming no staff gifts were recorded and directing the requester to a library for historical member gift registers.

Key Facts

• Travel data covers the period from the 2011 general election to the 2016 general election.
• Names of officers other than the Clerk, Deputy Clerk, and Third Clerk were withheld to protect personal data.
• Specific authorization details for each expenditure item were refused due to the substantial work required to compile them.
• No entries exist on the staff gift and hospitality register for the requested period.
• The historical register for Members' interests is available in hard copy at the Tynwald Library.

Data Disclosed

• 2011
• 2016
• 2017-02-24
• 2017-03-22
• IM79154I
• Section 11
• Section 25
• Section 8 paragraph 3(c)
• 8 pages

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Personal Data/Data Protection Act 2002)
• Section 8 paragraph 3(c) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Substantial compilation and collation)

Data Tables (4)

Full Response Text

Page 1 www.tynwald.org.im

22/03/2017

REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2015 (“the Act”) REFERENCE NUMBER: IM79154I

Dear

Thank you for your request dated 24th February 2017.

You asked:

1. Details of all off island trips made by politicians and officers (eg COT/DCOT etc.) including UK trips for the life of the last parliament (the date of the general election 2011 to the general election 2016) to include the following:

Politician Name/Officer Name/Destination/Purpose/Authorisation/Subject Matter/Total Cost of

transportation/total cost of any accommodation charges

1. Provide copies of the gift register entries for the life of the last parliament.

Response to your request

1. The Clerk of Tynwald’s Office holds information about off island travel undertaken for parliamentary purposes only. For information about travel for government business you may wish to contact each Government Department directly. The attached spreadsheet provides the information you have requested apart from the following:

i. Officer Name – Details of all officer travel has been included but only the Clerk of Tynwald, Deputy Clerk of Tynwald and Third Clerk of Tynwald are individually named while other officers have been listed by reference to the section within which they work. Under section 11 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 we are excluding the names of officers other than these three Clerks on the grounds that this information is absolutely exempt information, namely that under section 25 of the Act the information constitutes personal data for the purposes of Data Protection Act 2002.

Legislative Buildings Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PW British Isles

Telephone: 01624 685500

Office of the Clerk of Tynwald Oik Cleragh Tinvaal

Oikyn Slattyssagh Doolish Ellan Vannin IM1 3PW Ny Ellanyn Goaldagh

Chellvane: 01624 685500

Page 2 ii. Purpose and Subject Matter – We do not hold separate information about the purpose and subject matter but a reason for each visit has been included in a column headed Purpose.

iii. Authorisation – Expenditure in the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office is authorised by use of a hard copy purchase order form which is signed by an appropriate financial signatory in accordance with the Isle of Man Government Financial Regulations. Under section 11 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 we are refusing this part of your application on the grounds that a practical refusal reason applies, namely that under Section 8 paragraph 3(c) the work which would be required to itemise each item of expenditure and the authorising officer(s) for five years of travel would undertake substantial compilation and collation of information not already recorded in this data format. Expenditure in relation to component parts of any instance of travel e.g. flight(s), hotel(s), expenses claimed, may have been authorised by different officers. A register of the financial signatories and their individual signing limits is maintained by the Office, and all purchase order forms, invoices and expenses claims are available in hard copy format for inspection at this Office.

1. In accordance with Financial Regulations any member of staff in the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office who receives gifts or hospitality is expected to report such to the Clerk of Tynwald who, as Accounting Officer, decides whether they must be recorded on the gift and hospitality register. There are no entries on the staff gift and hospitality register for the period from the 2011 general election to the 2016 general election.

In accordance with the Register of Members’ Interests Rules, any Member of Tynwald who receives gifts or other benefits in kind above certain limits is expected to declare them to the Clerk of Tynwald who, as Registrar of Members’ interests, makes the information available to the public. The Rules and the register as it relates to current Members of Tynwald can be found here: http://www.tynwald.org.im/memoff/interest/. The register for the period from the 2011 general election to the 2016 general election is available in hard copy in the Tynwald Library.

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 to Roger Phillips, Clerk of Tynwald at r.phillips@tynwald.org.im or the address above. An electronic version and paper version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website. 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; 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.

Page 3 More detailed information on your rights to review is on the Information Commissioner’s website at: https://www.inforights.im/

Further information about Freedom of Information requests can be found on the Isle of Man Government website: https://www.gov.im/foi

Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely Email | foi@tynwald.org.im
Parliamentary Travel for the 2011-2016 Term Note: Where there is not an amount shown for accommodation or travel it is usually the case that costs were covered by the host or contributing organisation. Start Date End Date Destination Purpose of Travel (A list of abbreviations used may be found at the end) Transport Costs Accommodation Costs Other Costs Total Cost Member / Officer Travelling Job Role 26/10/2011 27/10/2011 London Parliamentary Visit 291.23 134.00 73.00 498.23 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 02/11/2011 11/11/2011 British Virgin Islands CPA Election Observance Team 1,501.19 198.00 78.75 1,777.94 AF Downie MLC Member of Tynwald 14/11/2011 14/11/2011 London BIPRA Steering Committee Meeting 211.23 211.23 Hansard Officer 20/11/2011 23/11/2011 London Training Secondment to Westminster 167.98 363.00 101.00 631.98 Administration Officer 07/12/2011 08/11/2012 London Visit to Irish Embassy 234.58 126.00 61.00 421.58 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 14/12/2011 15/12/2011 Liverpool Liverpool University Visit 157.78 63.00 220.78 GD Cregeen MHK Member of Tynwald 06/01/2012 13/01/2012 Trinidad & Tobago CSPOC Conference 3,015.16 1,889.80 119.34 5,024.30 CM Christian President of Tynwald; SC Rodan SHK; RIS Phillips Members of Tynwald; Clerk of Tynwald 12/01/2012 12/01/2012 London CPA British Virgin Islands Election Observance Team Meeting 306.18 306.18 AF Downie MLC Member of Tynwald 19/01/2012 20/01/2012 Liverpool Liverpool University Visit 248.78 105.00 49.95 403.73 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 30/01/2012 31/01/2012 London BIPA Steering Committee Meeting 244.18 186.00 15.00 445.18 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 17/02/2012 27/02/2012 Namibia Westminster/EU arranged visit to consult on STO rewrite - Fully funded 0.00 0.00 RIS Phillips Clerk of Tynwald 17/02/2012 27/02/2012 Namibia Westminster/EU arranged visit to consult on STO rewrite - Fully funded 0.00 0.00 RIS Phillips Clerk of Tynwald 29/02/2012 04/03/2012 London CPA - Study Visit to Westminster 2,754.45 3,344.00 578.64 6,677.09 CM Christian President of Tynwald; KJ Beecroft MHK; AL Cannan MHK: Z Hall MHK: RH Quayle MHK; CR Robertshaw MHK; RA Ronan MHK; LI Singer MHK; LD Skelly MHK; TP Wild; MLC; EM Lambden Members of Tynwald; Third Clerk of Tynwald 08/03/2012 10/03/2012 Belfast CSN Conference 349.56 154.00 17.00 520.56 JDC King; EM Lambden Deputy Clerk of Tynwald; Third Clerk of Tynwald 11/03/2012 16/03/2012 London CPA - Westminster PAC Seminar 476.44 1,664.00 671.94 2,812.38 GD Cregeen MHK; LI Singer MHK Members of Tynwald 20/03/2012 20/03/2012 London Westminster Tribute to HM Queen - Diamond Jubilee 215.18 8.64 223.82 CM Christian President of Tynwald Member of Tynwald 25/03/2012 25/03/2012 Scotland Westminster/EU arranged meeting - follow up to Namibia 0.00 0.00 RIS Phillips Clerk of Tynwald 29/04/2012 10/05/2012 Ottawa Parliamentary Officers Study Programme 1,002.69 59.75 70.67 1,133.11 JDC King Deputy Clerk of Tynwald 12/05/2012 15/05/2012 Dublin 44th BIPA Plenary Conference 319.96 766.00 85.79 1,171.75 SC Rodan SHK; RIS Phillips Member of Tynwald; Clerk of Tynwald 10/06/2012 14/06/2012 Edinburgh CPA BIMR Conference 2,414.10 0.00 94.40 2,508.50 SC Rodan SHK; RP Braidwood MLC; JP Watterson MHK; TP Wild MLC; RIS Phillips Members of Tynwald; Clerk of Tynwald 01/07/2012 03/07/2012 Dublin BIPA Steering Committee Meeting 290.98 183.00 26.00 499.98 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 18/07/2012 20/07/2012 Liverpool Liverpool University Visit 226.36 201.00 89.95 517.31 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald Costs are apportioned as follows: • Travel - all transport related costs e.g. flight, train, taxi, parking, mileage. • Accommodation - hotel including breakfast, where this is paid for as part of the room rate. • Other - any other expenses e.g. meals, visas, inoculations, conference delegate fees, Wi-Fi charges. 17/08/2012 19/08/2012 Edinburgh Royal Navy Familiarisation Visit 396.50 288.00 684.50 RIS Phillips Clerk of Tynwald 07/09/2012 26/09/2012 Sri Lanka 58th CPA Plenary Conference 100.00 0.00 1,074.87 1,174.87 SC Rodan SHK; RP Braidwood MLC; RIS Phillips Members of Tynwald; Clerk of Tynwald 19/09/2012 20/09/2012 London IPRIN Conference 261.36 341.84 43.39 646.59 Chamber & Information Service Officer 15/10/2012 16/10/2012 London Gibraltar Day 263.05 96.49 38.00 397.54 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 20/10/2012 24/10/2012 Glasgow 45th BIPA Plenary Conference 525.68 490.64 90.00 1,106.32 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 25/10/2012 26/10/2012 Guernsey UKIIC Seminar 910.38 340.00 133.19 1,383.57 RIS Phillips; JDC King Clerk of Tynwald; Deputy Clerk of Tynwald 05/11/2012 10/11/2012 Canada CPA Sponsored - World Bank Institute Public Accounts Committee Study Group 0.00 AL Cannan MHK Member of Tynwald 10/11/2012 11/12/2012 London Royal British Legion Remembrance Service 171.18 38.00 209.18 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 25/11/2012 01/12/2012 Turks & Caicos Delivering Capacity Building Training for Members 0.00 RIS Phillips Clerk of Tynwald 04/12/2012 05/12/2012 London Irish Embassy & Westminster Visit 237.18 223.25 61.00 521.43 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 17/01/2013 18/01/2013 Liverpool Liverpool University Visit 162.98 80.75 61.00 304.73 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 04/02/2013 04/02/2013 London CPA Trustees Meeting 158.03 5.60 163.63 CM Christian President of Tynwald Member of Tynwald 07/02/2013 18/02/2013 Falkland Islands CPA BIMR Conference 14,406.29 1,131.00 1,156.05 16,693.34 JP Watterson MHK; TP Wild MLC; RIS Phillips Members of Tynwald; Clerk of Tynwald 02/03/2013 04/03/2013 Londonderry 46th BIPA Plenary Conference 376.38 262.44 91.00 729.82 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 12/03/2013 13/03/2013 London Irish Embassy & Westminster Visit 195.01 101.50 35.00 331.51 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 20/03/2013 21/03/2013 Lancaster Lancaster University Visit 54.60 54.60 P Karran MHK Member of Tynwald 22/03/2013 23/03/2013 Liverpool NWRFCA AGM 143.90 94.50 8.49 246.89 JP Watterson MHK Member of Tynwald 30/04/2013 03/05/2013 Edinburgh CPA Study Visit to Scottish Parliament 1580.82 2875.00 216.88 4672.70 SC Rodan SHK; AL Cannan MHK; CG Corkish MLC; RA Ronan MHK; LI Singer MHK; LD Skelly MHK; RH Quayle MHK; Officer Members of Tynwald; Chamber & Information Service Officer 08/05/2013 12/05/2013 Jersey Jersey Liberation Day 973.21 0.00 110.00 1083.21 CM Christian President of Tynwald; SC Rodan SHK; RIS Phillips Members of Tynwald; Clerk of Tynwald 03/06/2013 05/06/2013 London Queens Jubilee 321.96 120.00 135.00 576.96 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 24/06/2013 27/06/2013 London CPA Public Accounts Workshop 164.21 995.00 150.55 1309.76 RH Quayle MHK Member of Tynwald 17/07/2013 18/07/2013 Liverpool Liverpool University Visit 82.20 89.50 15.00 186.70 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 30/07/2013 02/08/2013 London BIPRA Conference 201.89 127.08 193.00 521.97 Hansard Officer 28/08/2013 08/09/2013 South Africa 59th CPA Plenary Conference 4102.41 376.06 279.25 4757.72 AF Downie MLC; LI Singer MHK; RIS Phillips Members of Tynwald; Clerk of Tynwald 01/09/2013 03/09/2013 Dublin IPRIN Conference 193.44 204.50 47.80 445.74 Chamber & information Service Officer 19/09/2013 20/09/2013 London UKIIC Seminar 341.76 190.00 16.85 548.61 RIS Phillips; JDC King Clerk of Tynwald; Deputy Clerk of Tynwald 25/09/2013 27/09/2013 London CSN Conference 324.46 302.00 62.40 688.86 JDC King; EM Lambden Deputy Clerk of Tynwald; Third Clerk of Tynwald 20/10/2013 23/10/2013 London 47th BIPA Conference 311.87 396.00 29.00 736.87 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 30/10/2013 03/11/2013 Cardiff BIPRA Conference 186.40 101.30 287.70 Hansard Officer 03/01/2014 05/01/2014 Oxford Study of Parliament Group 132.00 96.10 228.10 JDC King Deputy Clerk of Tynwald 18/01/2014 26/01/2014 New Zealand CSPOC Conference 3731.10 1603.37 501.25 5835.72 SC Rodan SHK; RIS Phillips Member of Tynwald; Clerk of Tynwald 13/02/2014 13/02/2014 Liverpool Liverpool Royal Navy Visit 79.64 79.64 RIS Phillips Clerk of Tynwald 09/03/2014 10/03/2014 Cardiff CPA St Helena Meeting 253.70 89.00 342.70 TM Crookall MHK Member of Tynwald 14/03/2014 17/03/2014 Edinburgh CPA Women's Inaugural Conference 286.72 508.00 794.72 KJ Beecroft MHK Member of Tynwald 28/03/2014 28/03/2014 Liverpool NWRFCA AGM 126.91 126.91 JP Watterson MHK Member of Tynwald 29/03/2014 01/04/2014 Dublin 48th BIPA Plenary Conference 147.48 83.00 76.00 306.48 SC Rodan SHK Member of Tynwald 06/04/2014 07/04/2014 Dublin BIPRA Executive Committee Meeting 159.05 58.95 218.00 Hansard Officer 01/05/2014 01/05/2014 Liverpool Parliamentary Meeting 168.96 168.96 CM Christian President of Tynwald PRES 27/05/2014 30/05/2014 Cardiff CPA BIMR Conference 1535.82 0.00 77.00 1612.82 AL Cannan MHK; MR Coleman MLC; RA Ronan MHK; CC Thomas MHK; RIS Phillips Members of Tynwald; Clerk of Tynwald 10/06/2014 12/06/2014 Dublin CPA Study Visit 2334.57 2258.10 603.00 5195.67 DM Anderson MHK; KJ Beecroft MHK; AL Cannan MHK; Z Hall MHK; RH Quayle MHK; RA Ronan MHK; LD Skelly MHK; CC Thomas MHK; JDC King Members of Tynwald; Deputy Clerk of Tynwald 24/06/20

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