Conferences

Summary

The request sought itemised lists of all purchases made by Isle of Man officials at the 2024 Labour and Conservative Party Conferences. The Cabinet Office provided partial information regarding travel, accommodation, and conference passes, but withheld specific meal details and personal data under exemptions.

Key Facts

• The request was received on 2026-01-21 and responded to on 2026-03-09, exceeding the statutory 20 working day limit.
• Information was provided for four attendees: Chief Minister Alfred Cannan, Minister Tim Johnston, CEO Andy Ralphs, and External Relations Manager Alana Arculus.
• Specific meal descriptions (e.g., 'chicken curry') were withheld because the Cabinet Office does not record such granular details.
• Personal data was withheld under Section 25(2)(b)(ii) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 due to GDPR compliance.
• The total disclosed expenses for the Conservative Party Conference period (29/09-01/10/24) amounted to £7,739.98.

Data Disclosed

• 2026-01-21
• 2026-03-09
• 22 September to 25 September 2024
• 29 September to 2 October 2024
• £177.77
• £405.31
• £910
• £1,005.07
• £2,919.87
• £3,815.04
• £7,739.98
• Section 25(2)(b)(ii)
• Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation
• Article 6 of the GDPR

Exemptions Cited

• Section 25(2)(b)(ii) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (absolutely exempt personal information)
• Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation (data protection principles)
• Article 6 of the GDPR (conditions for lawful processing)

Original Request

Dear Cabinet Office, In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2015, please may you provide me with the following information: 1. An itemised list of everything purchased at the Labour Party Conference - 22 September to 25 September 2024. 2. An itemised list of everything purchased at the Conservative Party Conference - 29 September to 2 October 2024. Please may the associated value with the item or service be listed too (e.g. toothpaste £2.50, room service chicken curry £13.50). Thank you.

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

Date 29/09-01/10/24 Travel Hotels Meals/other Attendees CM 177.77 CM Round trip flights IoM - BHX 405.31 CM x3 night hotel stay 910 CM Party Conference Pass 14.94 CM Taxi airport - hotel 3.22 CM coffee (AA purchase card log) 95 CM Taxi hotel - airport 18.87 CM meal (AA purchase card log) 6.23 CM Taxi fares (provided by ) 28.33 CM Taxi fares (AA purchase card log £113.32 divided x4 = 28.33) TJ 164.77 TJ Round trip flights IoM - BHX 628.64 TJ 4X night hotel stay 910 TJ Party Conference Pass 14.94 TJ Taxi airport - hotel 16.38 TJ lunch (AA purchase card log) 13.33 TJ Taxi hotel - airport 18.87 TJ meal (AA purchase card log) 6.23 TJ Taxi fares (provided by ) 11.12 TJ meal (AA purchase card log) 28.33 TJ Taxi fares (AA purchase card log divide x4 = 28.33) 3.22 TJ coffee (AA purchase card log) AA 164.77 AA Round trip flights IoM - BHX 628.64 AA 4X night hotel stay 910 AA Party Conference pass 14.94 AA Taxi airport - hotel 11.12 AA meal 13.33 AA Taxi hotel - airport 18.87 AA meal 6.23 AA Taxi fares (provided by ) 16.38 AA meal 28.33 AA Taxi fares (AA purchase card log divide x4 = 28.33) 628.64 TJ 4X night hotel stay 3.22 AA coffee (AA purchase card log) AR 164.77 AR Round trip flights IoM - BHX 910 AR Party Conference Pass 14.94 AR Taxi airport - hotel 3.22 AR coffee 13.33 AR Taxi hotel - airport 16.38 meal 6.23 AR Taxi fares (provided by ) 18.87 meal 28.33 AR Taxi fares (AA purchase card log divide x4 = 28.33) 628.64 AR 4X night hotel stay 15.3 Lunch for AR (AA receipt) Totals: 1,005.07 2,919.87 3815.04 7,739.98

Government Office Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PN Telephone: (+44) 01624 686244
Website: www.gov.im/co

Our ref: 5246101 09 March 2026

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 21 January 2026, which states:

"In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2015, please may you provide me with the following information:

1. An itemised list of everything purchased at the Labour Party Conference - 22 September to 25 September 2024.
2. An itemised list of everything purchased at the Conservative Party Conference - 29 September to 2 October 2024.

Please may the associated value with the item or service be listed too (e.g. toothpaste £2.50, room service chicken curry £13.50).”

Please find attached the information requested, please accept our apologies that this has taken longer that the statutory processing period of 20 working days to reply.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Cabinet Office does not hold some of the information that you have requested. This is because whilst Cabinet Office does hold details of expenses for items such as meals, specific detail, such as what the meal was, i.e. chicken curry, may not be recorded.

In addition, we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because it is absolutely exempt under section 25(2)(b)(ii) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (absolutely exempt personal information). The reasons why that exemption applies are that:
• The Cabinet Office is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data of which you are not the data subject; and • The Cabinet Office is satisfied that disclosure of the information would contravene one of the data protection principles as set out at Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation as it applies in the Isle of Man pursuant to the Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018, namely that the Cabinet Office can only disclose the information where it would be fair, lawful and meet one of the conditions for lawful processing in Article 6 of the GDPR and in this case, none of those conditions have been met.

2 1. An itemised list of everything purchased at the Labour Party Conference - 22 September to 25 September 2024.

The information requested is attached as Annex 1 and Annex 3. To provide context the abbreviations on the document relate to the following attendees:

CM: Hon Alfred Cannan, MHK – Chief Minister. JPW: Hon Jane Poole-Wilson, MHK – Minister for Justice and Home Affairs. AR: Andy Ralphs - Chief Executive Officer Isle of Man Government. AA: Alana Arculus, External Relations Manager.

1. An itemised list of everything purchased at the Conservative Party Conference - 29 September to 2 October 2024

The information requested is attached as Annex 2 and Annex 4. For context, the abbreviations on the document relate to the following attendees:

CM: Hon Alfred Cannan, MHK - Chief Minister. TJ: Hon Tim Johnston, MHK - Minister for Enterprise. AR: Mr Andy Ralphs - Chief Executive Officer Isle of Man Government. AA: Mrs Alana Arculus, External Relations Manager.

By way of advice and assistance, please note that Cabinet Office publishes details of off-Island Ministerial visits on the Cabinet Office website here: https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/departments/cabinet-office/chief- ministers-off-island-trips-and-expenses/
Please quote the reference number 5246101 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.
3 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