More than 500 FOI requests submitted since start of year

Rushen MHK asks departments to reveal how many have been answered

More than 500 Freedom of Information requests have been made to government departments since the start of this year.

The Department of Infrastructure received the most – at 129 – with the Department for Enterprise receiving the least at 41.

The figures have been made public after a series of Tynwald questions from Rushen MHK Juan Watterson.

Data shows that between 1 January and 23 August the following number of FOI responses were made:

• Department of Infrastructure: 129
• Cabinet Office: 75
• Department of Education, Sport and Culture: 71
• Department of Health and Social Care: 71
• Department of Home Affairs: 50
• Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture: 46
• Treasury: 46
• Department for Enterprise: 41

Mr Watterson told Manx Radio it’s a good way for the public to apply ‘checks and balances’ but adds the response times tend to vary: