Annual defence contribution to the UK

AuthorityCabinet Office
Date received2024-04-16
OutcomeAll information sent
Outcome date2024-05-13
Case ID3804717

Summary

The request sought details on the Isle of Man's annual defence contribution to the UK, including funding sources, payment history, and a list of services covered. The authority disclosed specific payment amounts from 2021 to 2024 and attached the 1994 Contribution Agreement, but stated it does not hold a breakdown of specific services or how the funds are spent on the Island.

Key Facts

  • The Isle of Man pays an annual contribution to the UK under the Contribution Agreement 1994.
  • The payment is made in recognition of Defence and other common services provided by the UK Government.
  • The Cabinet Office does not hold a specific list of services covered by the payment.
  • The authority confirmed that no part of the annual payment is spent on the Island itself.
  • Requesters were advised to contact The Treasury for further information regarding service breakdowns.

Data Disclosed

  • 2021/2022: £3,304,841.92
  • 2022/2023: £3,300,215.14
  • 2023/2024: £3,379,750.32
  • Contribution Agreement 1994
  • Case ID: 3804717
  • Date received: 2024-04-16
  • Outcome date: 2024-05-13

Original Request

The Isle of Man makes a direct monetary contribution to the Consolidated Fund at HM Treasury according to manx radio's article linked below. 1. What budgets is this money collected from? As in, is it taken out of rates, income tax, etc? Please provide percentage from each budget. If it's taken from general funds, please say so and I'd still like to understand where it is calculated into for the taxpayer. 2. What are the amounts for defence paid per year since 2021, including 2021? https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/isle-of-man-pays-more-for-defence-than-channel-islands/ Further: 3. "The Isle of Man has had an agreement with the UK since 1992 which sees an annual Manx spend of about £3m." Quoted from the 2012 linked article below. Please provide a copy of this agreement. Please state what this money is spent on on the Island annually to current date, if any changes to services. 4. Please state ALL services provided to IOM within this agreement to date. Quoted "it provides a whole raft of services to the Isle of Man, not just the overall defence, it provides embassy services around the world for island residents and other related matters. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-17026446

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Year Amount Paid
2021/2022 £3,304,841.92
2022/2023 £3,300,215.14
2023/2024 £3,379,750.32

Full Response Text

  1. What are the amounts for defence paid per year since 2021, including 2021?
    https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/isle-of-man-pays- more-for-defence-than-channel-islands/

A breakdown of amounts paid under the Contribution Agreement 1994 from 2021 to date are as follows:

2021/2022 £3,304,841.92 2022/2023 £3,300,215.14 2023/2024 £3,379,750.32

  1. "The Isle of Man has had an agreement with the UK since 1992 which sees an annual Manx spend of about £3m." Quoted from the 2012 linked article below. Please provide a copy of this agreement. Please state what this money is spent on on the Island annually to current date, if any changes to services.

A copy of the Isle of Man Contribution Agreement 1994 is attached.

The Isle of Man Government is not aware of any part of the annual payment being spent on the Island, the payment is from the Isle of Man Government to the Government of the United Kingdom in “recognition of Defence and other common services provided on its behalf by the United Kingdom Government”.

  1. Please state ALL services provided to IOM within this agreement to date. Quoted "it provides a whole raft of services to the Isle of Man, not just the overall defence, it provides embassy services around the world for island residents and other related matters.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-17026446 ."

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Cabinet Office does not hold the information that you have requested. This is because there is no list of what the payment contributes towards. As is mentioned above, the payment is from the Isle of Man Government to the Government of the United Kingdom in “recognition of Defence and other common services provided on its behalf by the United Kingdom Government”.

For further advice and assistance, you may wish to submit a Freedom of Information request to The Treasury at: The Treasury, Government Office, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3PU. Telephone: (01624) 685605. Or submit an online request here: https://iomportal.icasework.com/resource?id=741209&db=iom.

Please quote the reference number 3804717 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.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Coordinator