Government opens consultation as number of 'complex requests' grows
A consultation has opened today asking whether people should be charged for submitting Freedom of Information requests.
It comes as government says the number of complex requests, which take more than 18 hours to process, is growing.
FOI requests allow individuals to ask public authorities for access to information held by them, free of charge.
It's seen as a way of ensuring and promoting transparency and accountability from government.
The number of requests received by the Isle of Man Government has increased by around 17 percent year on year since 2018 and demand on departments and boards is increasing, government says.
Last year it cost the Isle of Man Government £181,178 to respond to all 982 requests submitted, a process that took up to 5,300 hours - the equivalent of 700 work days.
The costs are calculated based on a £34 hourly rate.
Notably almost half of overall requests were submitted by the same small group of individuals, government says.
The consultation asks for feedback on what constitutes a reasonable fee (£10, £15, £20, £25, or 'other') discretion to waive or reduce fees, and what's a reasonable number of requests one person can make in a calendar year.
Cost Limit
A cost limit means there would be a cap on the amount of time and staff resources spent on individual requests.
Government says if it was to go down this route it would follow Jersey's model - the Channel Island has a cost limit of 12-and-a-half hours, and requests may be refused under their FOI legislation if it is estimated that it will take longer than that.
Likewise, if it is estimated to take fewer than 12-and-half hours the request will be answered free of charge.
If used here, a cost limit of 15 hours would be applied - the equivalent of £510.
Cabinet Office Minister David Ashford says: "Council recognises and supports the right of all Isle of Man residents to request information from public authorities, which is why we want people from all across the Island to share their views.
"We want to ensure any future changes align with the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act.
"Any changes must strike a balance between people’s right to access information, cost-effective administration, and value for taxpayers."
The consultation closes on 9 May - you can find a link to it HERE.
One topic not included in the consultation is whether certain organisations not deemed public authorities should be subject to FOIs.
Questions have been asked in recent years over whether the Isle of Man Steam Packet should be made to answer the requests, for example.
The ferry operator is owned the Isle of Man Government, but is 'arms-length' and not a public authority.
In 2023 Chief Minister Alfred Cannan said making the Steam Packet subject to the requests would 'expressly undermine' the company's position as being 'run commercially at arms length'.
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