Further to my request regarding your ref number 5160885

Summary

The requester asked for the asset values of the IOMSP and IOMSPG and the depreciation policy for new vessels. The Treasury withheld the asset values citing a qualified exemption for information intended for future publication, while directing the requester to a public document for the depreciation policy.

Key Facts

• Asset value information for IOMSP and IOMSPG is held but exempt under section 41 of the Act.
• The requested financial data is contained in audited statements for the year ending 31 December 2024.
• The Treasury aims to lay the financial statements before Tynwald by March 2026.
• The depreciation policy for vessels is already publicly accessible via a Tynwald document.
• The public interest test determined that withholding the asset values until official publication was more reasonable than immediate disclosure.

Data Disclosed

• 2026-01-01
• 2026-01-28
• 2026-01-23
• 31 December 2024
• March 2026
• 5201103
• 5160885
• page 18
• section 41
• section 20

Exemptions Cited

• Section 41 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Information intended for future publication)
• Section 20 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Information reasonably accessible to the applicant)

Original Request

Question 1.As to the latest information held as to the asset value of both the IOMSP and  IOMSPG and the answer to include the date for which that value was ascertained. Question 2 Please advise what the IOMSP depreciation schedule policy is for any new vessel.

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: 5201103 28 January 2026

Dear ###,

We write further to your request, received 1 January 2026 and amended 23 January 2026, which states:

"Question 1. As to the latest information held as to the asset value of both the IOMSP and IOMSPG and the answer to include the date for which that value was ascertained.

Question 2 Please advise what the IOMSP depreciation schedule policy is for any new vessel."

Our response to you is as follows:

Question 1

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the information is exempt from disclosure under section 41 of the Act as it is held with a view to being published at a future date and in all the circumstances it is reasonable that the information be withheld from disclosure until that time.

The information requested for this part of your request is contained within the audited financial statements, year ending 31 December 2024, for both the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and Isle of Man Steam Packet Group. The financial statements are required to be laid before Tynwald and at which point they will be made public. By way of advice and assistance the Treasury are working towards the financial statements going to Tynwald by March 2026.

As section 41 is a qualified exemption, it is subject to a public interest test. The public interest must be something that is of serious concern and benefit to the public at large.

Factors in favour of disclosure • There is a public interest in transparency of matters relating to financial management and accountability.

Factors in favour of withholding • Disclosure would contravene publication procedures.
• The information will be published within the next couple of months and therefore the closer it is to publication the more reasonable it is to withhold the information until publication has occurred.
• Premature disclosure in response to an FOI request may be unfair to others.

In taking these factors into account the Treasury determined that the factors in favour of maintaining the exemption outweigh the factors in favour of disclosing the information.

Question 2

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 you have requested is available online and you can find the information you are looking for using the following link:

https://www.tynwald.org.im/index.php/spfile?file=/business/opqp/sitting s/20212026/2024-GD-0126.pdf

The depreciation policy for vessels is located at the bottom of page 18, under the title ‘Property and equipment’.

Please quote the reference number 5201103 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.