14 Jul 1981 Tynwald Hansard Street, Douglas, Isle of Man REPORT OF
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Printed (by Authority) by Nelson Press Co. Ltd., St. George's Street, Douglas, Isle of Man REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS OF TVIMALD COURIT Douglas, Tuesday, July 14, 1981 at 10.30 a.m. Present: The Governor (Rear Admiral Sir Nigel Cecil, K.B.E., C.B.). In the Council: The President of the Council (the Hon. J. C. Nivison, C.B.E.), the Lord Bishop (the Rt. Rev. Vernon Nicholls), the Attorney-General (Mr. T. W. Cain), Messrs. G. T. Crellin, R. E. S. Kerruish, G. V. H. Kneale, W. A. Moore, P. Radcliffe, A. H. Simcocks, M.B.E., with Mr. T. A. Bawden, Clerk of the Council. In the Keys: The Speaker (the Hon. Sir Charles Kerruish, O.B.E.), Messrs. R. J. G. Anderson, J. J. Radcliffe, J. N. Radcliffe, Mrs. C. M. Christian, Dr. E. J. Mann, Messrs. A. A. Callin, R. L. Watterson, J. R. Creer, E. G. Lowey, M. R. Walker, N. Q. Cringle, Mrs. E. C. Quayle, Messrs. G. A. Quinney, M.B.E., E. M. Ward, B.E.M., P. A. Craine, E. C. Irving, C.B.E., Mrs. B. Q. Hanson, Mr. T. E. Kermeen, I.S.O., Dr. D. L. Moore, Messrs. J. J. Christian, G. C. Swales, with Mr. R. B. M. Quayle, Clerk of Tynwald. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. The Governor: Hon. members, I have apologies for absence from the hon. and gallant member of Council, Wing-Commander MacDonald, from the hon. member for East Douglas, Mr. Delaney, and from the hon. member for Glenfaba, Mr. Quirk. The hon. member for Garff, Dr. Mann, will be slightly delayed. BILLS FOR SIGNATURE. The Governor: We have seven Bills for signature, the Town and Country Planning Bill, the Criminal Law Bill, the Merchant Shipping (Load Lines) Bill, the Local Govern- ment (Payment of Members' Expenses) Bill, the Exempt Insurance Companies Bill, the European Communities (Greek Accession) Bill, and the Rating and Valuation (Amend- ment) Bill. If hon. members agree we will continue our business while these Bills are being signed. It was agreed. PAPERS LAID BEFORE THE COURT. The Governor: I call on the Clerk to lay papers. The Clerk: I lay before the Court:— Loan Sanctions, Revocation of— (Government Circular No. 125/81). Apologies for Absence. — Bills for Signature. — Papers Laid Before the Court. T1446 TYNWALD COURT, JULY 14, 1981 Constitutional Issues— Second Interim Report of the Constitutional Issues Committee. Common Purse— Third Interim Report of the Common Purse Committee. Boards' Responsibilities— Interim Report of the Boards' Responsibilities Committee. Licensing Act 1961— Licensing (No. 8) Order 1981. Music and Dancing Act 1961— Music and Dancing (No. 2) Order 1981. Agricultural Credits Act 1924— Agricultural Credits (Amendment) Rules 1981. Housing Acts 1955 to 1976— Cooil Roi Housing Order 1981. Destructive Imported Animals Act 1963— Deer (Importation and Keeping) Order 1981. Diseases of Animals (Prevention) Acts 1948 to 1975— Animals (Prohibition of Importation) (Amendment) Order 1981. Cattle— Cattle Quality (Headage Payment) (Revocation) Scheme 1981. Road Traffic Act 1967— School Crossing Patrols (Prescribed Places) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1981. Highway Act 1927— Malew Market Order 1981. Merchant Shipping— Merchant Shipping (Masters and Seamen) (Application) (Amendment) Order 1981. Merchant Shipping (Masters and Seamen) (Fishing Vessels) (Application) Order 1981. Public Offices Fees Act 1888— Public Offices Stamps (Transfer of Functions) Regulations 1981. European Communities— Applicable European Communities Secondary Legislation, May 1981. Local Government Board's Approval to Petitions— Approval dated 5th June 1981 to the following Petition— (1) Petition of the Ramsey Town Commissioners for approval to the sale of a certain small parcel of land situate abutting upon the North side of Lezayre Road, Ramsey, to Ian Mackintosh Cameron and Bertha Margaret Cameron, his wife, of Lochaber, Lezayre Road, Ramsey, for the sum of 25 pence plus all legal and other expenses incidental thereto. Approval dated 19th June 1981 to the following Petition— (2) Petition of the Laxey Village Commissioners for authority to borrow a sum not exceeding £2,500, repayable within 6 years, to defray the cost of the purchase of one Daihatsu Model 55T Pick-up Van with removable cover. Papers Laid Before the Court. TYNWALD COURT, JULY 14, 1981 T1447 QUESTIONS — PROCEDURAL. The Governor: Before we turn to the Question Paper, hon. members, I would like to make the comment that members will observe we have two questions for oral answer dealing with employment. I am conscious that this is a subject matter of considerable interest to many hon. members and I would particularly ask that Standing Orders be adhered to and any supplementary questions be restricted to the original question. I would ask this also because I understand that at the end of questions the Chairman of the Board of Social Security may seek the agreement of the Court to make a statement on employment. ROYAL WEDDING GIFTS TO SCHOOL CHILDREN — QUESTION BY MR. LOWEY. The Governor: We will turn to the Question Paper. Question number 1. I call upon the hon. member for Rushen, Mr. Lowey. Mr. Lowey: Your Excellency, 1 beg to ask the Chairman of Executive Council:— Will Executive Council consider giving a Royal Wedding Crown to each school child in the Island as a memento of this historic happy occasion? Mr. Irving: Your Excellency, in April last the Committee of Executive Council appointed to co-ordinate local arrangements in connection with the Royal Wedding celebrations made inquiries as to the possibility of Royal Wedding Crowns being provided by Government free of charge to schoolchildren in the Island. Unfortunately, the necessary funds could not be made available, but I am pleased to inform the hon. member that certain local authorities are entering into the spirit of this happy occasion, and according to my information the German Parish Commissioners propose to distri- bute commemorative Crowns to children of the parish under the age of 16. Additionally, some Parish Commissioners, notably those of Ballaugh, Jurby, Andreas and Bride, Lonan and Marown intend to present commemorative mugs to all children of the parish. I am also informed that the Treasury are making available commemorative Crowns at their face value for persons and organisations — and I believe there are a considerable number of them — who intend to present them to schoolchildren. Mr. Lowey: I thank the hon. Chairman for his reply, and I note the reply with sadness. BOARD OF EDUCATION ANNUAL REPORTS — QUESTION BY MR. KISTEALE. The Governor: Question number 2. I call upon the hon. member of Council. Mr. Kneale. Mr. Kneale: Your Excellency, I beg to ask the Chairman of the Isle of Man Board of Education:— When will your Board's Annual Reports for the years ended 31st March 1980 and 31st March 1981 be laid before Tynwald? Questions—Procedural. — Royal Wedding Gifts to School Children—Question by Mr. Lowey. — Board of Education Annual Reports—Question by Mr. Kneale. T1448 TYNWALD COURT, JULY 14, 1981 Mrs. Hanson: Your Excellency, in reply to the hon. member's question, you will see that the earlier query is resolved by the placing before you today of the Annual Report of my Board for the year ended 31st March 1980. Concerning the year which has finished recently, it is the practice for the work on the preparation of the Annual Report, which is a long and complex task, to be commenced by the Director during the summer holidays when the more immediate work with the schools' administration has quietened down. I have looked back, sir, over the past five years, and see that the report has, almost inevitably, been placed before this hon. Court in the year next but one following that to which it relates. For instance, for the year ended 31st March 1976, the report was placed before this Court in June 1977; for the year ended March 1977 it was placed before this Court in March 1978; for the year ended March 1978 it was placed before this Court in July 1979; for the year ended 31st March 1979 it was placed before this Court in June 1980; and for the year ended March 1980 it is now presented before this Court in July 1981. Whereas I would wish to see the report presented to members as soon as possible, it does seem to me that the time-table which has been operative over recent years is reasonable and sensible. Mr. Kneale: Your Excellency, I have one or two supplementary questions. Firstly, dealing with the report I notice it was signed on 26th March 1981, and it is dealing with the year 1979/80. Why has it taken so long to reach the members of the Court? Also. in relation to the point that you have mentioned about what has become the standard practice in the last five years, has the hon. Chairman of the Board looked back at previous reports prior to the last five years? Because if she had, can she confirm that she would have read that the 1962 report was produced by 23rd July 1962; the 1963 report was produced by 14th August that year; the 1964 report by 8th October; the 1965 report by 30th September; the 1966 report by 18th July, and so on? I am sure that the hon. Chairman will confirm that prior to the last five years it was possible to get the Annual Report out when it was worthwhile reading, because it was dealing with things that were not out of date. Another supplementary, sir? It used to be normal practice to include in the Board of Education reports details of the number of children of each age group attending school. Why is this table omitted these days? Mrs.