MDC rental eligibility criteria

Summary

The requester asked the Treasury for documents regarding rental eligibility criteria and allocation policies for the former nurses' home 'Thie Clag'. The Treasury refused the request, stating they do not hold the information because the Manx Development Corporation operates at arm's length from the government.

Key Facts

• The request concerned rental eligibility and allocation policies for 'Thie Clag'.
• The Treasury does not hold the requested information.
• The Manx Development Corporation (MDC) operates at arm's length from the Government.
• MDC is not required to disclose operational information, including rental policies, to the Treasury.
• The request was refused under section 11(3)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

Data Disclosed

• 4854645
• 2025-08-06
• 2025-08-08
• 2025-08-26
• 2025-09-17
• section 11(3)(a)
• Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)(a) - Information not held

Original Request

This request is for any documents, reports, correspondence, briefing notes, shareholder communications, or other records held by Treasury which relate to rental eligibility criteria, allocation policies, and their application for the former nurses'  home ('Thie Clag'), whether created by the Manx Development Corporation or by Treasury itself. This ensures the request remains firmly within FOIA scope and relates only to information actually held by Treasury.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information
Seyrsnys Fysseree

The Treasury Government Office,
Douglas Isle of Man, IM1 3PU

Telephone: (01624) 685605 Email: FOI.Treasury@gov.im

Government Website: www.gov.im

Our ref: 4854645 26 August 2025

Dear ###,

We write further to your request received 6 August 2025, and amended 8 August 2025, which states:

"This request is for any documents, reports, correspondence, briefing notes, shareholder communications, or other records held by Treasury which relate to rental eligibility criteria, allocation policies, and their application for the former nurses' home ('Thie Clag'), whether created by the Manx Development Corporation or by Treasury itself. This ensures the request remains firmly within FOIA scope and relates only to information actually held by Treasury."

Our response is as follows:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Treasury does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. Therefore, as previously advised, we need to apply a practical refusal reason to your request under section 11(3)(a) of the Act (information not held).

The reason for this is because no records have identified any information relating to rental eligibility criteria and allocation policies, and the application of these in relation to the Thie Clag held by the Treasury. The Manx Development Corporation operate at arm’s length from Government and therefore information relation to the operational running of MDC, including that of rental eligibility an allocation policies, is not required to be disclosed to the Treasury.

Please quote the reference number 4854645 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.