CoMin dismisses calls for register of ministerial decisions

Report finds resource implications would be too great and there's no evidence of conflicting decisions

Government won't be creating a central register to record all ministerial decisions.

The Council of Ministers has confirmed the decision after Tynwald support calls for all decisions to be logged last year.

In April 2024, Tynwald backed a proposal from Douglas North MHK David Ashford calling for CoMin to look into the prospect of a register for all decisions taken by ministers.

The Council's report on the concept will be laid before Tynwald this month, and says that after careful consideration it has agreed not to create a central log.

However, it has confirmed the government code will be updated over the summer, and it's hoped enhancements and additions as part of this will address Mr Ashford's concerns over governance.

Among the reasons for not introducing a register, CoMin says the resource implications would be too great, particularly for Treasury and the Department of Infrastructure as they make the most ministerial decisions.

Mr Ashford also voiced concerns over the risk of two ministers taking conflicting decisions, but CoMin found no evidence that this has happened.

CoMin says it's committed to strengthening the code on ministerial directions; where a minister issues an instruction to their department to proceed with spending, and intends to make it a requirement for all decisions to be noted by the minister's department so there is a clear audit trail.