Call to add members to whistleblower list rejected

Julie Edge said the move would ensure policies were followed

Tynwald has rejected a move to add political members in a list of people that whistleblowers can make disclosures to.

The motion, put forward by Julie Edge, followed the results of a consultation by the Department for Enterprise (DfE), in which a small majority backed including political members as a prescribed person.

Edge had argued that disclosures to MHKs would be a "last resort", but the move would ensure that policies and procedures were being followed.

However, in a Tynwald debate, members argued they could better support whistleblowers by guiding them through the process.

Enterprise Minister Tim Johnston said his department decided against the move due to concerns over members' ability to be independent in the face of disclosures, despite Edge's argument that UK MPs were designated as prescribed persons.

'Public trust'

Johnston said there was a lack of powers to "properly investigate" information provided, and a lack of training and administrative resources in comparison to UK counterparts.

The DfE would bring forward an updated list as part of the Public Interest Prescribed Persons Order 2024 to the court in November, he added.

Juan Watterson SHK argued that politicians "were not qualified" to act as prescribed persons in the ways that other regulatory and oversight bodies were, and it would encourage individuals to go to MHKs first, setting them up for a "lesser quality service".

Making promises to constituents to help in ways that MHKs "could not guarantee" would do "nothing for public trust in politicians", he added.

Alex Allinson MHK raised concerns that it would be difficult for members to detect what was a protected disclosure as concerns were frequently raised to politicians.

Edge, who later asked to withdraw her motion until the DfE's prescribed persons order was brought to the court, said a clearer framework should be in place, and there should be more training for members regardless of the motion.