HOW TO GET IN TOUCH We hope you will find this document useful. If you would like to make any comment on any aspect of it, please contact: The Clerk of Tynwald Office of the Clerk of Tynwald Finch Road Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PW telephone: (+44) 1624 685500 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.tynwald.org.im Tynwald Annual Report 2007-08 1 Contents Foreword .......................................................................... 2 Tynwald of today: structure and functions ................... 3 Legislation ........................................................................7 Committee work .............................................................. 9 Tynwald Day 2008 ...........................................................15 Engagement at home and abroad ................................16 Offi ce of the Clerk of Tynwald .......................................18 Appendices 1. List of Members with constituency and parliamentary appointments and parliamentary Committees as at 31st July 2008 ....................................................... 21 2. Offi ce of the Clerk of Tynwald staffi ng as at 31st July 2008 ......................................... 23 3. Expenses of the Legislature Budget 2007/08 and 2008/09 (Pink Book) ................... 24 Published by © the President of Tynwald and the Speaker of the House of Keys, 2008 2 Tynwald Annual Report 2007-08 Foreword Welcome to this, the fi rst Annual service that supports the work Report on the operation of the of Members of Tynwald in their world’s oldest parliament in parliamentary (as opposed to continuous session. governmental) capacity, and also offers a range of services direct to Residents of the Isle of Man, the public. and many who have visited the Island, will be aware of our ancient We are proud of our parliament. parliamentary tradition, which We want to make it easy for people stretches back over 1,000 years in the Isle of Man, and elsewhere, and is still very much part of the to see what it does and to fi nd out Manx way of life. Every year on how the business of our parliament Tynwald Day the Lord of Man may affect them. If you would or her representative presides like to follow up anything you over a ceremony which was fi rst have read in this Report, further documented in 1417, but which information is available on the remains unchanged in essence Tynwald website (www.tynwald. today. At the heart of the ceremony org.im) or the Tynwald Library in Photo: Andrew Coulter Photo: is the promulgation of Acts of Finch Road, Douglas, may be able by the President of Tynwald, the Tynwald – in other words, an to offer assistance. Hon Noel Quayle Cringle OBE, opportunity for the people to hear and the Speaker of the House of what has been going on in the Keys, the Hon Stephen Charles Legislature. Rodan SHK Transparency in parliamentary activity is not, therefore, a new idea in the Isle of Man. However, while the enactment of primary legislation is very important, it is not the only activity which goes on in Tynwald. We believe that the other areas of work described in this Report NOEL QUAYLE CRINGLE should also be made known to the President of Tynwald public, and to that end we offer this Report. In it you will fi nd information on the full range of parliamentary activities, including secondary legislation, Committee work, and a range of outward-facing activities, on the Island and further afi eld, that we refer to as “engagement”. There is also a description of the work of the Offi ce of the Clerk of Tynwald, STEPHEN CHARLES RODAN Photo: Andrew Coulter Photo: an independent parliamentary Speaker of the House of Keys Tynwald Annual Report 2007-08 3 Tynwald of today: structure and functions Tynwald is the parliament of the Isle of Man, having an unusual and unique structure, elements of which have existed for over 1,000 years. It is the oldest continuous parliament in the world. The processes by which it carries out the functions of a parliament and governs the Island have developed over several centuries. Whilst continuing the traditions of involving as many people and interests in these processes, it also continues to assign some of them to groups of its Members whilst Keigs retaining its authority, and holding Photo: those Members accountable for Captioning the laws on Tynwald Day their actions. Tricameral system separately to consider primary Subject to the powers held by the The High Court of Tynwald and legislation, and sit together as the sovereign and Head of State, The its two constituent Branches (the High Court of Tynwald to consider Queen, Lord of Man, Tynwald’s House of Keys and the Legislative matters of fi nance, secondary authority includes the core Council) each meet in separate legislation and other policy functions to: chambers. The Branches sit matters. ■ make laws ■ establish or remove a government to administer the Island ■ keep a check on Government activities (scrutiny) ■ approve expenditure and agree the level of taxes and fees ■ agree policies that it considers necessary and expects the Government to carry out ■ establish Committees to Keigs investigate matters of concern. Photo: Current Members of Tynwald are The President of Tynwald and, listed at Appendix 1. right, the Tynwald Messengers’ emblem of authority 4 Tynwald Annual Report 2007-08 Eye of Man Photo: Tynwald Annual Report 2007-08 5 Opposite page: The refurbished Tynwald Chamber with its magnifi cent Millennium carpet Tynwald Court This is the highest of the three parliamentary assemblies and sits for up to three days each month of the year, except for August and September. Combining the two branches - each, however, a distinct entity and voting separately - it provides the main forum for political debate on matters affecting the Island. All the sittings are broadcast on Manx Radio as they take place. Eye of Man Each sitting opens with a half day Photo: devoted to Members’ questions to the Government about the conduct In the House of Keys Chamber, above, of current affairs. Ministers and the and the Legislative Council Chamber, below chairmen of statutory boards must give an account of their stewardship and explain the policies the The House of Keys years. Voters must be resident Government is pursuing. This is Occupying the 24 seats in the and over the age of 16. Following followed by the money resolutions, House of Keys are Members a General Election the fi rst duty of when Tynwald approves – or not elected by voters from 15 the House is to elect its Speaker – proposals for major expenditure. constituencies. The present to preside for the next fi ve-year constituencies were introduced in session. After that, the reports of 1986. Each has either one, two Government Departments or or three Members elected at a The business of the House is parliamentary Committees are General Election every fi ve years, primarily the scrutiny of legislation debated, policies and procedures or at bye-elections to fi ll vacancies. proposed by the Government, settled, or remedies for Tynwald Candidates must be over 18 and though the fi rst hour of each Day Petitions of Grievance agreed. have lived on the Island for fi ve weekly sitting is for Questions Next come the detailed and important Statutory Documents – the various Orders, Regulations and Rules which amplify the working of Acts of Tynwald. Those of principal importance must be scrutinised and voted on before they can take effect. At the end of the Order Paper are the private Members’ motions, bringing forward, for the decision of Tynwald, any matter which a Member believes needs attention in the public interest. There is no restriction on the right of a Member thus to bring matters of concern to Eye of Man public attention. Photo: 6 Tynwald Annual Report 2007-08 to Ministers and the chairmen of statutory boards, as in Tynwald, and is broadcast as it takes place. There is also the opportunity for private Members to seek the leave of the House to introduce legislation themselves. Legislative Council The House of Keys acts as an electoral college to elect eight Members over 21 years of age to the Legislative Council in overlapping fi ve year terms of offi ce. The President of Tynwald, elected by and from the Members of Tynwald, presides in the Keigs Legislative Council. Two further Photo: Members make up the Council: the Bishop of Sodor and Man, and Her Majesty’s Attorney General for the Isle of Man. The Attorney General has no vote. February 2008 saw the end of four Members’ terms of offi ce: Mrs Christian, Mrs Crowe, Mr Lowey and Mr Turner. Three of these were re-elected by the House of Keys to serve a further fi ve years. Mrs Crowe was not re-elected and the resultant vacancy was fi lled by Mr Callister. The Legislative Council acts in relation to proposed legislation as a revising chamber, examining Bills sent up from the Keys, though there is also the opportunity for questions to be addressed to representatives of the Government on current matters. Executive Government After a General Election Tynwald elects a Chief Minister from Keigs among its Members. Tynwald can at any time remove from this Photo: post a person in whom it has no confi dence, and appoint another Member to the post. The Chief Department has further Members of General, to be offered either a Minister appoints nine further Tynwald appointed to it. Ministerial post or one or more Members of Tynwald to the posts on other executive bodies. positions that make up the Council It is usual for every Member of Members may also serve on of Ministers, the Ministers of the Tynwald, except the President, parliamentary committees which nine major Departments of the the Speaker of the House of Keys, probe into the operation of these Isle of Man Government.