Calls for government information to be more accessible
An MHK says it will be 'miraculous' if government finds the likes of the Steam Packet Company and the Manx Development Corporation don't meet the definition of a publicly-owned company.
Douglas Central member Chris Thomas gained support in Tynwald to ask the Council of Ministers to look at the list of bodies included in the Freedom of Information Act.
The legislation, introduced in 2015, covers a number of entities no longer used by government, but more recently purchased or established companies haven't been included.
Mr Thomas says he'll be surprised if more organisations aren't covered by the act:
Tynwald backed Mr Thomas's calls for CoMin to report back with its plans to update the definition of a publicly-owned company by March 2024, but rejected his request for an order to update the act in June next year.
But, the treasury minister warns Government needs to make sure the Freedom of Information Act doesn't cause a huge increase in bureaucracy.
Alex Allinson warns responding to such requests takes up resources:
Meanwhile, an MHK says trying to navigate government's website is 'an absolute nightmare' following concerns over the amount of time it takes to respond to Freedom of Information requests.
Responding to Dr Allinson's comments, Arbory, Castletown and Malew member Tim Glover says government has to ensure documents are accessible.
He says information isn't always easy to find:
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