Dates and reasons for Leave of Absence (MHKs) and dates absence authorised by Speaker

Summary

The request sought dates and reasons for Leave of Absence for Members of the House of Keys (MHKs) from October 2017, and the authority disclosed a table of specific absences while noting that exact authorization dates are not always recorded.

Key Facts

• Leave of Absence details are read out by the Speaker and recorded in Hansard.
• The exact date leave was authorized by the Speaker is not always known or recorded by the Office of the Clerk.
• Reasons for absence included attending court, illness, funerals, and representing the Isle of Man at international conferences.
• The response covers the period from the new session in October 2017 to December 2017.
• Future requests can be fulfilled by searching the Hansard section of the Tynwald website.

Data Disclosed

• 2017-12-21
• 2018-01-11
• 24th October 2017
• 5th October 2017
• 17th October 2017
• 20th October 2017
• 31st October 2017
• 7th November 2017
• 14th November 2017
• 28th November 2017
• 5th December 2017
• 04th December 2017
• 19th December 2017
• 13th December 2017
• IM114549I
• 2 pages
• 1 document

Data Tables (5)

Full Response Text

Page 1 www.tynwald.org.im

12/01/2018

REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2015 (“the Act”) REFERENCE NUMBER: IM114549I

Dear

Thank you for your request dated 22nd December 2017

Your request

You asked for:
Can the Clerk of Tynwald confirm the dates for House of Keys sittings leave of absence was requested by, MHK's and reason for absence, and the date leave was authorised by the Speaker since the new session October 2017 to date?

Response to your request
Any Leave of Absence granted is read out by the Speaker at the start of each House of Keys sitting, often with some words of explanation. This information is recorded in Hansard which is publically available on the Tynwald website: http://www.tynwald.org.im/business/hansard/ The date leave was authorised is not recorded in Hansard and is not always known by this office.
The information we hold which is relevant to your request is below: Sitting Date

Date leave was requested by Member
Date leave was authorised by the Speaker of the House of Keys MHK Explanation given by Speaker / Deputy Speaker 24th October 2017 5th October 2017 5th October 2017 Mr Thomas Attending Court 17th October 2017 18th October 2017 Miss Bettison Leave for an hour if still sitting in the afternoon 20th October 2017 20th October 2017 Chief Minister For reasons explained yesterday 31st October 2017 27th October 2017 27th October 2017 Miss Bettison No reason given. 7th November 2017 27th October 2017 27th October 2017 Miss Bettison Representing the Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh Not held Not Held Mr Speaker Representing the Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh Not held Not Held Mr Malarkey Otherwise detained

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 14th November 2017 10th November 2017 13th November 2017 Mr Peake Department business 14th November 2017 14th November 2017 Mr Hooper Unwell 28th November 2017 27th November 2017 27th November 2017 Mrs Beecroft Unwell 5th December 2017 27th November 2017 27th November 2017 Mr Perkins Funeral 04th December 2017 04th December 2017 Mrs Beecroft Unwell 19th December 2017 13th November 2017 13th November 2017 Mr Hooper Unwell 13th December 2017 13th December 2017 Mrs Beecroft Unwell Not Held 19th December 2017 Chief Minister Brief absence Not Held 19th December 2017 Mr Callister Stranded in Manchester

Should you wish to review LOA requests in the future, please use the search function on the Hansard section of the Tynwald website. Please copy and paste this link to adjust your date search: http://www.tynwald.org.im/business/hansard/Pages/hansard.aspx?&s=Transcripts&k=%22leave%20of%20absence%22&r=sitting%3E=%2201 /10/2017%22AND%20sitting%3C=%2203/01/2018%22AND%20chamber=%22House%20of%20Keys%22AND

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.

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

Office of the Clerk of Tynwald

Email | foi@tynwald.org.im