Government Procurement Cards

Summary

The request sought data on the number of government procurement cards in circulation and total spending on them for the Isle of Man between 2019 and 2025. The Treasury disclosed that 1,093 active purchase cards are in use and provided specific expenditure figures for the requested financial years, clarifying that the government issues purchase cards rather than procurement cards.

Key Facts

• There are currently 1,093 active government purchase cards in circulation in the Isle of Man.
• The term 'active' includes cards issued but not yet used, as well as those suspended due to absence or inactivity.
• Total expenditure on government purchase cards for the financial year 2024/25 was £6,346,888.71.
• The Isle of Man Government does not issue 'procurement cards' but rather 'purchase cards'.
• Expenditure on these cards has fluctuated between approximately £3.8 million and £6.5 million over the last five years.

Data Disclosed

• 1,093
• £6,346,888.71
• 2024/2025
• £5,073,130.44
• 2019/2020
• £3,796,519.04
• 2020/2021
• £4,777,798.51
• 2021/2022
• £5,631,686.74
• 2022/2023
• £6,459,586.96
• 2023/2024
• 4994941
• 2025-10-10
• 2025-11-07

Original Request

In March 2025 the UK Government launched a crackdown on the almost 20,000 Government Procurement Cards in circulation. The Government issued credit cards had been used by UK civil servants in various government departments on so-called work related expenses such as hospitality, gifts, and away days and totalled £600 million in 2024. In relation to the IOM, please can you confirm the following: 1. How many Government Procurement Cards ( in effect IOM Government issued credit or debit cards) are currently in circulation in the IOM? 2. What was the total amount of Manx Taxpayers' money spent on IOM Government Procurement Cards in the financial year 2024/25? 3. What was such total amount spent in each of the financial years 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24? Please note that we submitted the above questions in a FOI request to the Cabinet Office dated 8.10.25 but the Cabinet Office replied by stating that the request ought to be submitted to the Treasury. The therefore expect to receive substantive responses to our questions. Thank you.

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

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: 4994941 7 November 2025

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 10 October 2025, which states:

"In March 2025 the UK Government launched a crackdown on the almost 20,000 Government Procurement Cards in circulation.

The Government issued credit cards had been used by UK civil servants in various government departments on so-called work related expenses such as hospitality, gifts, and away days and totalled £600 million in 2024.

In relation to the IOM, please can you confirm the following:

1. How many Government Procurement Cards ( in effect IOM Government issued credit or debit cards) are currently in circulation in the IOM?

2. What was the total amount of Manx Taxpayers' money spent on IOM Government Procurement Cards in the financial year 2024/25?

3. What was such total amount spent in each of the financial years 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24?

Please note that we submitted the above questions in a FOI request to the Cabinet Office dated 8.10.25 but the Cabinet Office replied by stating that the request ought to be submitted to the Treasury. The therefore expect to receive substantive responses to our questions.

Thank you."

Our response to your request is as follows:

PART 1 The information provided pertains to Isle of Man Government Purchase Cards. It is assumed that the request concerns purchase cards, as the Isle of Man Government does not issue procurement cards.

There are currently 1,093 active purchase cards in circulation.

The term "active" encompasses cards that have been issued but not yet utilised for purchases, as well as those suspended due to the cardholder's absence or inactivity over a period specified by their relevant Department.

Part 2 The total expenditure incurred on Isle of Man Government Purchase cards during the financial year 2024/2025 amounted to £6,346,888.71.

Part 3 The total expenditure incurred on Isle of Man Government Purchase cards during the financial years: 2019/2020 - £5,073,130.44 2020/2021 - £3,796,519.04 2021/2022 - £4,777,798.51 2022/2023 - £5,631,686.74 2023/2024 - £6,459,586.96

Please quote the reference number 4994941 in any future communications.

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