Delegation of planning functions to a Planning Committee.

Summary

The requester asked for hyperlinks to all DEFA Minister delegations of planning functions under the Government Departments Act 1987 since February 2020, specifically regarding the Planning Committee. The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture provided some information but withheld specific details citing an absolute exemption for personal data.

Key Facts

• The request was received on 17 February 2026 and responded to on 5 March 2026.
• The authority responding is the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA).
• The outcome was classified as 'Some information sent but part exempt'.
• Information was withheld under Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 regarding absolutely exempt personal information.
• The exemption was applied because disclosure would contravene data protection principles under the GDPR as applied in the Isle of Man.

Data Disclosed

• 5308389
• 1st February 2020
• 17 February 2026
• 5 March 2026
• 9th December 2026
• Section 3(2)
• Section 25(2)(b)(i)&(ii)
• Article 5
• Article 6
• 2 pages
• 1 document

Exemptions Cited

• Section 25 – Absolutely exempt personal information
• Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018
• Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation
• Article 6 of the General Data Protection Regulation

Original Request

Please let me have hyperlinks to all Delegations of Functions made by a DEFA Minister from the 1st February 2020 under section 3(2) of the Government Departments Act 1987, in which the DEFA Minister has purported to authorise persons to be members of the Planning Committee, but in which the Minister has failed to name such persons, together with hyperlinks to all Delegations of DEFA's functions made from the 1st February 2020 under section 3(2) of the Government Departments Act 1987, relating to the Planning Committee in which the DEFA Minister has named such persons. Please let me have hyperlinks to all other Delegations of Functions relating to planning, made by a DEFA Minister from the 1st February 2020 under section 3(2) of the Government Departments Act 1987, in which a DEFA Minister has authorised any member or officer of DEFA, or any other person, to exercise any functions of DEFA in his place, either alone or jointly with him or with any other such person or persons.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator Corporate Services Directorate Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John’s, Isle of Man, IM4 3AS Tel no (01624) 685854 Fax no (01624 685851 Email: defa@gov.im www.gov.im

Our ref: 5308389 5 March 2026

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 17 February 2026, which states:

"In an e-mail dated the 9th December 2026 addressed to Mr Steve Butler, Head of Development Management in DEFA I stated -

"Please let me have hyperlinks to all Delegations of Functions made by a DEFA Minister from the 1st February 2020 under section 3(2) of the Government Departments Act 1987, in which the DEFA Minister has purported to authorise persons to be members of the Planning Committee, but in which the Minister has failed to name such persons, together with hyperlinks to all Delegations of DEFA's functions made from the 1st February 2020 under section 3(2) of the Government Departments Act 1987, relating to the Planning Committee in which the DEFA Minister has named such persons.

Please let me have hyperlinks to all other Delegations of Functions relating to planning, made by a DEFA Minister from the 1st February 2020 under section 3(2) of the Government Departments Act 1987, in which a DEFA Minister has authorised any member or officer of DEFA, or any other person, to exercise any functions of DEFA in his place, either alone or jointly with him or with any other such person or persons."

Our response to your request is as follows: Please see Appendix A.

Section 25 – Absolutely exempt personal information
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because it is absolutely exempt under section 25(2)(b)(i)&(ii) of the Act (absolutely exempt personal information). The reasons why that exemption applies are that:

• The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data of which you are not the data subject; and

• The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture 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 Department of Environment Food and Agriculture can only

disclose the information where it would be fair, lawful and meet one of the conditions for lawful processing in Article 6 and in this case, none of those conditions have been met.

Please quote the reference number 5308389 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.