Printed (by Authority) by The Copy Shop Ltd., 48 Bucks Road, Douglas, Isle of Man. REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS OF TYNWALD COURT Douglas, Wednesday, 21st February 2001 at 10.30 a.m. Present: Harbours (Isle of Man) Act 1961 - The President of Tynwald (Hon N Q Cringle). Harbour Dues (Merchant Vessels) Regulations 2001 In the Council: The Lord Bishop (the Rt Rev Noel Debroy [SD No 47/01] Jones), the Attorney-General (Mr W J H Corlett QC), Harbour Dues (Fishing Vessels, Work Boats and Hon Mrs C M Christian, Messrs E A Crowe, Construction Barges) Regulations 2001 D F K Delaney, J R Kniveton, E G Lowey, Dr E J Mann, [SD No 48/01] Messrs J N Radcliffe and G H Waft, with Mr T A Bawden, Harbour Dues (Pleasure Vessels and House Boats) Clerk of the Council. Regulations 2001 [SD No 49/01] In the Keys: The Speaker (Hon J D Q Cannan) Corporate Service Providers Act 2000 - (Michael); Mr L I Singer and Hon A R Bell (Ramsey); Corporate Service Providers (Fees) Regulations Mr R E Quine OBE (Ayre); Mrs H Hannan (Peel); 2001 [SD No 54/01] Hon W A Gilbey (Glenfaba); Hon S C Rodan (Garff); Inland Fisheries Act 1976 - Hon D North (Middle); Mr P Karran, Hon R K Corkill and Mr G T Cannell (Onchan); Messrs J R Houghton and Inland Fisheries (Duties) Regulations 2001 [SD No 23/01] R W Henderson (Douglas North); Mr A C Duggan (Douglas South); Mr R P Braidwood and Mrs B J Cannell Customs and Excise Act 1993 - (Douglas East); Mr J P Shimmin and Hon A F Downie Customs and Excise Acts (Application) Order 2001 (Douglas West); Hon J A Brown (Castletown); [SD No 22/01] Hon D J Gelling (Malew and Santon); Mrs P M Crowe Statistics of Trade (Customs and Excise) and Mr J Rimington (Rushen); with Prof T StJ N Bates, (Amendment) Regulations 2000 (Application) Clerk of Tynwald. Order 2001 [SD No 20/01] Animal Health Act 1996 - Animal and Animal Products (Import and Export) The Lord Bishop took the prayers. Order 2001 [SD No 43/01] Apologies for Absence Water Pollution Act 1993 - Water Pollution (Code of GoodAgricultural Practice The President: Hon. members, we still have apologies for the Protection of Water) Order 2001 from the hon. member for Rushen, Sir Miles Walker, away [SD No 52/01] on government business and it was remiss of me yesterday to miss out the hon. member for Douglas South, Mr Dairy Cow Financial Assistance Scheme - Cretney, similarly away on business. It is nice to see Mrs Dairy Cow Financial Assistance Scheme 2001 Cannell back with us and it is hoped that Mr Duggan will [GC No 8/01] join us later this morning. Social Security Act 2000 - Mr Houghton: Hear, hear. Social Security Legislation (Application) Order 2001 [SD No 40/01] Social Security Legislation (Application) (No. 2) Order 2001 [SD No 41/01] Papers Laid Before the Court Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 - The President: Hon. members, having completed order Income Support (General) (Isle of Man) paper number 2 yesterday evening we now turn our (Amendment) Regulations 2001 [SD No 42/01] attention to order paper number 1 and I call on the Clerk to lay papers. Licensing Act 1995 - Drinking in Public Places (Designated Place) The Clerk: I lay before the Court: (Onchan) Order 2001 [SD No 28/01] Apologies for Absence Papers Laid Before the Court T514 TYNWALD COURT, WEDNESDAY, 21st FEBRUARY 2001 Local Government Act 1985 - of a Long Wave Transmitter Station and Associated Laxey Village Commissioners (Alteration of Vehicular Access at Ballafayle, Cranstal, Bride. Number of Members) Scheme Order 2001 Interception of Communications Act 1988: Report [SD No 50/01] of the Commissioner for the year ended 31st December 2000. Weights and Measures Act 1989 - Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading: Report on the Weights and Measures (Working Standards and Investigation of Gas Prices in the Isle of Man. Testing Equipment) Regulations 2001 [SD No 36/01] Report into Gas Prices — Alcohol Liquor Duties Act 1986 - Beer and Cider and Perry (Amendment) Regulations Question by Mr Delaney 2001 [SD No 21/01] The President: We turn then, hon. members, to the Partnership Act 1909 - question paper and I call on the hon. member for Council, Limited Partnership (Ship Ownership, Chartering Mr Delaney, to ask question 1. and Operation) Regulations 2001 [SD No 8/01] Mr Delaney: Thank you, Mr President. I beg leave to Census Act 1929 - ask the Chief Minister: Census Regulations 2001 [SD No 7/01] Census (Prescribed Forms) Regulations 2001 Will the complete report into gas prices in the Isle [SD No 6/01] of Man be made available to Members of Tynwald? European Communities (Isle of Man) Act 1973 - The President: I call on the Chief Minister to reply. European Communities (Control of Exports of Dual-Use Items and Technology) (Application) Mr Gelling: Yes, Mr President, the complete report into (Amendment) Order 2001 [draft] the gas prices has been laid before Tynwald at this very sitting, sir. Plant Health Act 1983 - Plant Health (Elm Bark Beetle) Order 2001 The President: Mr Delaney. [SD No 39/01] Mr Delaney: I thank the Chief Minister and may I ask Superannuation Act 1984 - him, are you satisfied that all the information given to the Superannuation (Clerk of Tynwald's Department) department concerned in this report and the members is Determination 2001 [SD No 67/01] contained in this report, sir? United Nations - The President: The Chief Minister. Iraq (United Nations Sanctions) (Isle of Man) Order 2000 [SI 2000 No. 3245] Mr Gelling: Yes, indeed, Mr President, the full and final report is the one which is laid before this Court. Appointed Day Orders - Human Rights Act 2001 (Appointed Day) (No.1) The President: The hon. member for Rushen, Mrs Order 2001 [SD No 65/01] Crowe. European Communities - Mrs Crowe: Thank you, Mr President. Would the Chief European Communities instruments circulated Minister agree that the investigation carried out by the during December 2000 [GC No 4/01] and January commission which included not only myself, but the hon. 2001 [GC No 10/01] member for Council, Mr George Waft, the hon. member for North Douglas, Mr John Houghton, was not only the Reports - first investigation of its kind carried out, but that it was an Code of Practice on Access to Government excellent report, comprehensive in all regard and diligently Information: Report by the Chief Secretary on Initial compiled, an exhaustive thorough investigation ongoing Refusals and Review Decisions in respect of Written throughout the whole of the summer recess when some Requests for Information made under the Code members of this hon. Court might have been in their villas during the year ended 31st August 2000. in Spain? Thank you, Mr President. (Laughter) Gaelic Broadcasting Committee: Report to the Council of Ministers for the year ended 31st March The President: The Chief Minister. 2000. Town and Country Planning Acts 1934-1999: Mr Delaney: A supplementary, Mr President. Report of an Inquiry into a Planning Application for Full Planning Permission for the Construction The President: The Chief Minister to reply. Report into Gas Prices — Question by Mr Delaney TYNWALD COURT, WEDNESDAY, 21st FEBRUARY 2001 T515 Mr Gelling: The hon. member is the chairman of the forgotten my concerns going back two years. Can he department who carried out the report so I can only assume confirm, though, that the people of this Island are paying that that is a correct statement, sir. extremely high gas prices: some people cannot afford to use their heating all day to keep themselves warm and Mr Delaney: A supplementary, Mr President. would he not consider ensuring that if there is any way at all possible in speeding up this process that that could be The President: Mr Delaney. implemented. Mr Delaney: May I take it from the question asked The President: The price of gas is not relevant to the from the Chairman of Consumer Affairs that you will be question. The Chief Minister. invited to a candlelit supper? Mr Gelling: Yes, indeed, Mr President, obviously the cost of fuel is expensive and the reasons for that being expensive will be in some way in the report which is laid Natural Gas — Importation — Priority — before the Court today. However, that situation hopefully Question by Mr Henderson could be remedied with the availability of natural gas on the Isle of Man, but one particular area that has been The President: Question number 2, I call on the hon. explored brought us the natural gas on to the Island which member for Douglas North, Mr Henderson. would have not been any more available on a cheaper rate than what it is now, so therefore this is what has got to be Mr Henderson: Thank you, Mr President. I beg leave considered - is the bringing it on to the Island going to to ask the Chief Minister: improve the prices rather than just be the same, sir (1) What priority does your government give to bringing The President: The hon. member for Rushen, Mr natural gas to the Island; and Rimington. (2) will you consider appointing a committee of the Mr Rimington: Bearing in mind his comments on the Council of Ministers to facilitate this objective? economics of these issues and the desirability of making sure that fits into our overall remit, does the Chief Minister The President: Again the Chief Minister to reply. consider that economically it would be better to have just one pipeline bringing gas into the Island rather than two? Mr Gelling: Yes, Mr President, I did answer a question on this subject from the hon.