Scrutiny of government finances 'isn't possible' without unaudited accounts

Public Accounts Committee makes two recommendations in its annual report

The committee responsible for scrutinising government's finances says the lack of publication of unaudited accounts means targeted scrutiny isn't possible.

The Public Accounts Committee has published its annual report reflecting on its investigations over the last year.

The PAC has considered a range of issues over the last 12 months, including the future of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, spending on the Liverpool Landing Stage and student awards.

The report makes two recommendations for change, including a call for an unaudited summary of key financial information to be published no later than six months after the end of a financial year.

It comes after the committee questioned why government hadn't published its unaudited accounts - also known as the light blue book - since 2021, or the orange book featuring trust accounts and other third party statements since 2017.

Treasury Minister Alex Allinson told the committee compiling the light blue book takes up considerable officer resource, but the PAC says targeted scrutiny without the publication or an equivalent is not possible.

The second recommendation relates to government's decision to descope the horse trams on Douglas prom.

It was confirmed to the committee's vice-chairperson that the decision to halt plans to continue the tramway to the Sea Terminal was a collective decision by the Council of Ministers, despite the project having received Tynwald approval in 2017.

The committee says the decision not to seek Tynwald approval for this change reflects poorly on the Department of Infrastructure and the Council of Ministers.

As a result, the PAC report includes a recommendation for Tynwald to back its calls for a vote to be required in advance of any deviation from previously approved scoping.

The committee had been due to report back on its investigation into government's handling of the new Isle of Man Ferry Terminal in Liverpool in January, but was unable to meet the deadline.

It says those findings will be released ahead of a debate at November's sitting of Tynwald.

Details of an audit into the DoI's waste management regulations also feature in the report, with the regulations' assurance status, controls and application found the be unacceptable - the PAC has referred the matter to the Environment and Infrastructure Policy Review Committee.

The report also gave an update on the PAC's investigation into student awards and health governance, with reports on the two issues to be published in due course.

The committee's report will be laid before Tynwald at the October sitting.

In a statement to Manx Radio, an Isle of Man Government spokesman said: "The Isle of Man Government acknowledges the findings of the Public Accounts Committee's annual report and each of the recommendations will be considered in due course."