The Minister for Infrastructure is to make an announcement on the new daily airport runway closures.

Chris Thomas will make a statement on the matter in Tuesday’s (June 27) sitting of the House of Keys which will start at 10am.

Both Douglas North MHK David Ashford and Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse will ask the infrastructure minister about the reduced airport opening hours and related issues.

It comes after a recent announcement from the Isle of Man Airport that the runway would close five times a day to meet the minimum rest requirements of air traffic control staff.

This in part has caused heightened flight disruption, yet the daily closures are set to continue through the summer.

Mr Moorhouse will also ask Chris Thomas for an update on progress with the Crogga development.

It comes as the company’s plans to drill off the east coast of the island hit a setback last week.

Mr Ashford will be asking Education Minister Julie Edge what meetings and other conversations she has had with Isle Learn to understand the impact any closure may have.

Mr Ashford will also ask Ms Edge what advice she has received as to whether courses delivered on island by Isle Learn will continue to be delivered on island should Isle Learn close.

The closure of Isle Learn has left some employers concerned about how this will impact the island’s childcare strategy, as it will make it more difficult for staff to become qualified while in employment.

At the time Gary Peirce, owner of Hopes and Dreams Childcare Group,said that it could cause staff shortages, and would be a body blow to the island’s childcare strategy.

When Mr Ashford asked Ms Edge on this in the House of Keys last week, Ms Edge announced that her department was to meet with Isle Learn, as well as UCM to come up with a ‘continuation plan’.

She is set to provide an update on this meeting on Tuesday.

Mr Moorhouse wants to know how many people have registered as well as deregistered for tax purposes in each of the last five years; and to what extent the number of people registered for tax purposes will be taken into account in assessing the success of the strategy to attract new residents.

The ongoing strategy to increase the population to 100,000 has been a major talking point of this administration.

Locate Isle of Man, the body dedicated to attracting new residents, says that an individual will be considered an Isle of Man tax resident from the date that they arrive if they establish an intention to live in the island. Mr Moorhouse wants to know if this will be a way of tracking new residents.

Mr Moorhouse will ask Chris Thomas what is planned for the green strip of land between the War Memorial and the Sea Terminal – and what budget submissions have been made since September 2021 with regard to this piece of land.

The land was formerly earmarked for the horse tramlines, with Mr Thomas telling Keys in March the second line section of tram track to the Sea Terminal had been removed from the Douglas promenade project in April 2020.

There are only two questioners, with five questions from Mr Moorhouse, and three from Mr Ashford.