Department of Home Affairs

Overview

Outcome Breakdown

Requests by Year

Top Topics

• Policing & Criminal Justice (95 requests)
• Transport & Roads (43 requests)
• Other (33 requests)
• Planning & Housing (26 requests)
• Healthcare & Public Health (20 requests)

Notable Cases (47)

[-] Cost of reports

2025-12-29 | Some information sent but part exempt

The request sought the costs paid to the UK Prison and Probation Ombudsman for investigating two deaths in an Isle of Man prison in May 2023. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed a total expenditure of £90,588.79, including invoices for clinical reviews and recovery payments, though the response was marked as partially exempt.

• The investigation was triggered by the deaths of Craig Jack Anderson and Christopher Corkill in May 2023.
• The Ministry of Justice NOMS was the supplier account used for payments totaling £90,588.79.
• Clinical review services were provided by LW Health Consultancy for 119 hours across two invoices.

Data: £90,588.79, £38,594.00, £25,000.00, £8,680.00, £840.00

[+] Isle of Man Prison Team Based Self Rostering Scheme (TBSR) survey

2025-12-23 | All information sent

The requester sought the survey questions, answers, and the identity of the surveyor regarding the Isle of Man Prison's Team Based Self Rostering (TBSR) scheme to verify claims made by the Governor. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed all requested information, revealing that while staff liked TBSR, they felt it was not working due to staffing shortages, and confirmed the survey was conducted by an independent external officer.

• The survey was conducted by an independent External Investigating Officer, Mrs Ann Reynolds, who had no affiliation with the prison or Department of Home Affairs.
• 22 staff members responded to the survey, with 20 stating they liked TBSR and 0 stating they did not.
• Despite liking the scheme, 19 of the 22 respondents indicated that TBSR was not working.

Data: 22 staff answered the survey, 20 staff liked TBSR, 0 staff did not like TBSR, 2 staff responded 'Sort of', 19 staff said TBSR was not working

[~] Operation Talla and covid

2025-12-09 | Information not held

The requester asked the Department of Home Affairs to confirm if the Isle of Man Constabulary adhered to 'Operation Talla' regarding Midazolam and COVID vaccine evidence, or if a specific meeting with the British Army discussed it. The authority responded that it does not hold the requested information, noting that the Constabulary ran its own separate COVID operation.

• The Department of Home Affairs does not hold information regarding 'Operation Talla' or instructions to the Isle of Man Constabulary to adhere to it.
• The Isle of Man Constabulary ran its own independent COVID operation, which was not part of Operation Talla.
• The Independent Isle of Man Covid Review covered policing extensively and is publicly available.

Data: 2025-12-09, 2026-01-20, 5151169, 2020, Section 15

Exemptions: Information not held

[-] Drone incidents at Isle of Man Prison

2025-11-06 | No information sent - all held but exempt

A request was made for details on drone incidents, seizures, and smuggled items at Isle of Man Prison between 2020 and 2025, but the Department of Home Affairs refused to disclose any information.

• The request covered drone sightings and incidents at Isle of Man Prison at Jurby from January 1, 2020, to November 1, 2025.
• The Department of Home Affairs withheld all information citing Section 32(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015.
• The exemption was applied because disclosure could prejudice the maintenance of security and good order in the prison.

Data: January 1, 2020, November 1, 2025, November 6, 2025, December 5, 2025, 5065073

Exemptions: Section 32(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Law Enforcement); Prejudice to the maintenance of security and good order in institutions under the Custody Act 1995

[-] Isle of Man Law Society quarterly meeting agendas/attachments/minutes

2025-10-06 | Some information sent but part exempt

The requester asked for agendas, attachments, and minutes of quarterly meetings between the Department of Home Affairs and the Isle of Man Law Society from 2019 to the present. The authority disclosed informal notes from 2023 to 2025 but withheld earlier records and specific details citing exemptions for public business and personal information.

• The Department of Home Affairs and the Law Society hold informal quarterly meetings to discuss matters of mutual interest.
• No formal agendas or minutes exist for these meetings; only informal notes are captured.
• Records of these informal notes only began to be kept in 2023, meaning no information is held for the 2019-2022 period requested.

Data: 2019, 2023, 2025, 1st January 2019, 6 October 2025

Exemptions: Section 35 (prejudice to effective conduct of public business); Section 25(2)(a) (personal identifying information)

[~] Use of Prison Cubes

2025-10-06 | Some information sent but not all held

The request sought data on non-day release inmates occupying prison cubes and details on their management; the authority disclosed that no such occupancy data is recorded but provided context on the unit's purpose and referenced previous FOI responses.

• The Department of Home Affairs does not hold data on non-day release inmates occupying prison cubes broken down by year, month, gender, or category.
• Progression to Restricted Day Release (RDR) while in the cabins is not separately recorded.
• The Juliette Unit was implemented to ease increasing prison population and avoid overcrowding residential wings.

Data: 2025-10-06, 2025-10-24, 4984033, 3931369, 3951381

Exemptions: Information not held or cannot be found after taking reasonable steps

[+] AFA Fines and Charging

2025-09-30 | All information sent

The request sought details on the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service's charging policy for false Automatic Fire Alarm (AFA) callouts. The authority disclosed the full 'User Pays Agreement' structure, including standard rates, public holiday surcharges, and escalating fees for properties with multiple false alarms.

• Properties generating 1-4 false alarms per year are charged £395 per call (£790 on Public Holidays).
• Properties generating 5-8 false alarms per year incur a 30% surcharge on calls 5 through 8.
• Properties generating 9 or more false alarms per year are charged double the standard rate for calls 9 and over.

Data: £395, £790, £513.50, £1,027, £1,580

[~] Freedom of Information Request - Mental Health Service Improv

2025-09-02 | Information not held

A request for documentation on mental health services in the Isle of Man Prison between 2019 and 2025 was partially refused because the Department of Home Affairs does not hold specific mental health policies or staffing data, noting that existing custody forms do not define service users as having mental health issues.

• The Department of Home Affairs confirmed the Prison holds no specific documents or policies relating directly to mental health.
• Existing policies such as ACCT (Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork) address self-harm and behavior but do not define users as suffering from mental health issues.
• No prison officers are recruited solely for the purpose of mental health care.

Data: 1 January 2019, 1 September 2025, 2 September 2025, 1 October 2025, 4909661

Exemptions: Information not held; Partial exemption (specific legal grounds not detailed in the provided text)

[~] Foreign national inmates at Jurby Prison

2025-08-28 | Some information sent but not all held

The requester asked for detailed monthly statistics on foreign national inmates at Jurby Prison over the last five years, including demographics, detention status, and offence types. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed general gender and crime category statistics but refused the specific foreign national data, stating it is not recorded for statistical purposes.

• The Department of Home Affairs does not hold statistics specifically on foreign national inmates.
• Country of origin is recorded upon reception but is not used for statistical reporting.
• The authority provided a spreadsheet containing gender statistics and crime committed statistics.

Data: 2025-08-28, 2025-09-24, 4901038, 3 pages, 1 document

Exemptions: Information not held by the public authority

[-] Daily Operations Meeting Notes

2025-07-31 | No information sent - all held but exempt

A request for Daily Operations Meeting Notes and correspondence regarding working agreements at the prison between 2016 and 2023 was refused by the Department of Home Affairs. The authority determined that fulfilling the request would require substantial compilation and collation of over 1,800 documents, which is not required under the Freedom of Information Act.

• The request covered the period from 20th March 2016 to 12th July 2023.
• The Department of Home Affairs confirmed holding 1837 sets of daily meeting notes.
• An additional 7 years of agendas and minutes across multiple platforms were identified.

Data: 20th March 2016, 12th July 2023, 1837, 7 years, 19 August 2025

Exemptions: Section 11(3)b of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; Section 8(3) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; Substantial compilation or collation exemption

[~] Isle of Man Prison

2025-07-28 | Some information sent but not all held

The request sought details on the cessation of off-island prison training and monthly control and restraint staffing levels since 2020. The authority confirmed off-island training stopped in 2018 and could not provide historical correspondence, while disclosing that no mandated staffing levels exist and providing KPI data for staff up-to-date with training.

• All off-island Prison Officer Entry Level Training (POELT) ceased in 2018.
• Correspondence regarding the 2018 POELT decision is no longer retained due to staff turnover.
• There are no mandated staffing levels for Control and Restraint (C&R) as the service can be outsourced.

Data: 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Exemptions: Information not held or cannot be found after taking reasonable steps

[~] Fire Service Cardiac & Cars

2025-07-01 | Some information sent but not all held

The requester asked for statistics on cardiac arrest responses and details regarding unmarked fire service vehicles. The authority disclosed the number and purpose of unmarked vehicles but refused to provide cardiac arrest statistics as it would require creating new records.

• The Fire and Rescue Service operates four unmarked response vehicles.
• Unmarked vehicles are used by the Senior Incident Command Group for 24/7 tactical and strategic cover.
• The Fire Service attends cardiac arrests as both first responders and additional resources to the Ambulance Service.

Data: 4, 2025-07-01, 2025-07-22, 4768933

Exemptions: Requirement to create or derive new records from existing information; Requirement to undertake research or analysis of held information

[-] Freedom of Information Request - Intrusive Surveillance Warrants Issue

2025-06-30 | No information sent - all held but exempt

The requester asked for the number of intrusive surveillance warrants authorized in 2024 and details on applications and approvals. The Department of Home Affairs withheld the information, citing an exemption because the data is scheduled for future publication in the Surveillance Commissioner's annual report.

• The request was received on 30 June 2025 and responded to on 22 July 2025.
• Information was withheld under section 41 of the Freedom of Information Act.
• The requested data is held with a view to being published in the Surveillance Commissioner's 2024 annual report.

Data: 2024, 30 June 2025, 22 July 2025, October 2025, section 41

Exemptions: Section 41 of the Freedom of Information Act (information held with a view to future publication)

[~] Isle of Man prison staffing, inmates and issues

2025-06-30 | Some information sent but not all held

The Department of Home Affairs provided annual inmate population figures from 2020 to 2024 and details on a new wing's occupancy, but refused to provide monthly breakdowns of violence, injuries, and lockdowns as the data does not exist in the requested format.

• Total inmate population figures were provided annually for 2020 through 2024.
• The authority stated that specific records for monthly violence, injuries, and lockdowns are not held.
• Complying with the request for violence statistics would require creating new records or undertaking analysis.

Data: 2020: 100 inmates, 2021: 111 inmates, 2022: 93 inmates, 2023: 100 inmates, 2024: 140.3 inmates

Exemptions: Information not held or cannot be found after reasonable steps; Request would require creation or derivation of new records; Request would require research or analysis of existing information

[~] PFAS-containing fire fighting foams

2025-05-22 | Information not held

A request was made to the Department of Home Affairs regarding the historical and current use of PFAS-containing firefighting foams on the Isle of Man. The authority responded that the requested information is not held.

• The request was received on 2025-05-22 and the outcome was issued on 2025-06-27.
• The Department of Home Affairs stated that the information regarding PFAS firefighting foams is not held.
• The request covered 15 specific questions about foam usage, deployment locations, training, and health testing.

Data: 2025-05-22, 2025-06-27, 4683889, 5, 1

Most Cited Exemptions

See Also

• Transparency Scorecard
• Outcome Trends