Just five Acts were officially proclaimed on Tynwald Hill this year - bringing into sharp relief the dearth of legislation which has been a feature of the current administration.

Last year, six Acts were promulgated on Tynwald Day and there were only four the year before.

In contrast, the average number of Acts promulgated between 2011 and 2022 was 14.

There were 19 in 2022 but all of these related to legislation passed by the previous administration.

The title and summary of every Act that receives Royal Assent has to be read out in Manx and English by the Deemsters at the next practicable Tynwald Day.

Promulgation is not necessary before an Act comes into operation but must take place within 18 months of the Act being passed or it will cease to have effect.

Of the five Acts proclaimed on Tynwald Hill this year, one was a just minor amendment to the Charities Registration and Regulation Act 2019.

The others were the Vaping Products Act 2024, the Employment (Amendment) Act 2024, the Fines and Penalties Act 2024 and the Public Sector Payments Act 2025.

In June 2023 we reported that the Legislative Council had sat only 21 times - a total of 10 and a quarter hours - since the September 2021 general election.

Since May 22 that year MLCs have sat a further 30 times, 37 and a half hours in total.

Defending the government’s legislative record in 2023, Chief Minister Alfred Cannan said more than 50 Bills were scheduled over the course of this administration.

He told Isle of Man Today then: ‘Although this year’s legislative programme has been slower than we would have ideally liked, we are committed to completing a number of significant legislative changes and improvements during the course of this administration.’