MHK and MLC absences 2021 - 2025

Summary

The request sought a compiled table of authorized and unauthorized absences for MHKs and MLCs from October 2021 to June 2025, including reasons for absence. The authority refused to compile the data, directing the requester to existing public records, and withheld specific reasons for absence citing personal data exemptions.

Key Facts

• The Office of the Clerk of Tynwald is not required to create or derive information by compiling existing records.
• Absence data is already reasonably accessible via Votes and Proceedings and Hansard on the Tynwald website.
• Specific reasons for leave of absence are withheld as they constitute personal data under Section 25 of the Act.
• Information regarding off-Island parliamentary travel is published separately on the Tynwald website.
• Data on Members leaving the Island for Government business is not held by the Clerk's Office.

Data Disclosed

• October 2021
• 29.06.25
• 1 July 2025
• 22 July 2025
• 4761789
• Section 20
• Section 25

Exemptions Cited

• Section 20 (Information already reasonably accessible)
• Section 25 (Absolutely exempt personal information)

Original Request

Good afternoon, Please provide a summary in table format of the absences, authorised and non-authorised, for MHKs and MLCs to run from October 2021 to date (29.06.25). Please create separate tables for MHKs and MLCs. Please provide data in the table format in the document attached to this FoI request. Thank you for your time.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

[Contact details redacted]

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

Our ref: 4761789 22 July 2025

Dear [name redacted]

We write further to your request, received 1 July 2025, which states:

"Good afternoon,

Please provide a summary in table format of the absences, authorised and non-authorised, for MHKs and MLCs to run from October 2021 to date (29.06.25).

Please create separate tables for MHKs and MLCs.

Please provide data in the table format in the document attached to this FoI request.

Thank you for your time."

In respect of your request for the following information: name of Member; date of absence from Keys or Tynwald; whether authorised or not authorised (leave of absence granted), we reply as follows.

Members are required to seek leave of absence from the Presiding Officer (Tynwald = The President, and the House of Keys = The Speaker). Like all people, Members could be absent from their place of work for many reasons relating to, inter alia, health, medical procedures, medical appointments, family or personal reasons, conflicting business commitments.

We are not required to create or derive information from information we hold or to undertake compilation or collation of the information we hold. Further, under section 20 of the Act, we are not required to provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you, whether free of charge or on payment of a fee.
The information that you have requested is available from the following sources: Votes and proceedings for each sitting are published on the Tynwald website. The Votes and Proceedings set out who has leave of absence. As at today’s date, all Votes and Proceedings for the period October 2021 to 29th June 2025 are publicly available by following this link: https://www.tynwald.org.im/business/votes-and-proceedings

The Official Report (Hansard) for each sitting provides a list of those Members who were present at each sitting. As today’s date, all Hansards in final or draft form for the period October 2021 to 29th June 2025 are publicly available by following this link: https://www.tynwald.org.im/business/hansard

Information about off-Island parliamentary business and travel is published on the Tynwald website. This information sets out which members were away from the Island on parliamentary business and on which dates, together with a breakdown of costs when these costs are finalised. You can view this information by following this link: https://www.tynwald.org.im/members-officers/remuneration-and-allowances and navigating to ‘Off Island Travel Costs – Details of Parliamentary Travel’.

Information about Members who leave the Island for Government or Department business is not held by us but may be held by the relevant Department and you could direct a further request to those sources.

In respect of your request for the following information: reason for absence, we reply as follows.

As previously advised, information about off-Island parliamentary business and travel is published on the Tynwald website.

We do not hold all correspondence between a Member and the Presiding Officer relating to the reason for a leave of absence. In limited instances, we do hold information relating to a reason for a requested leave of absence. However, in these instances we are unable to provide the information you have requested because an exemption under section 25 (absolutely exempt personal information) of the Act applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption applies are: the information constitutes personal data of which you are not the

data subject, and the disclosure of the information would contravene the data protection principles.

Please quote the reference number 4761789 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

FOI Co-ordinator