No answer on secret payoffs

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare says he can’t say how many secret payouts the government’s made in the last five years because there are simply too many to collate.

In Tynwald this week he faced a question for written answer from Douglas South MHK Kate Beecroft about settlements which were covered by confidentiality clauses.

Mr Teare said such payments are made to employees, customers, patients, service providers and others – and finding exact figures would be expensive and time-consuming.

But he said if Mrs Beecroft gave more information about a specific issue, he’d be happy to discuss it and provide an answer to her query.