Without government subvention the Meat Plant ’simply would not exist’, the chairman of the board that runs it told MHKs.

But Tim Baker was grilled in the House of Keys over why the accounts for the abattoir have not been published for the last two years.

And it was claimed that the level of government subsidy has doubled during the life of the current administration.

But Mr Baker, who chairs Isle of Man Meat Company Ltd’s board of directors, insisted that the level of subvention has actually reduced, from £2,135,611 in 2019-20 to £2,030,758 in 2020-21 and £1,000,110 in the current financial year to date.

The Meat Plant operates at arm’s length from government with the subvention coming from the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, its major shareholder.

Mr Baker said: ’I do believe the agriculture sector is getting very good money for the investment.

’This is a sub vented organisation and without that it simply wouldn’t exist. It is dependent on ongoing government support. If that wasn’t there we would not have a meat plant on the island.’

Daphne Caine (Garff, pictured) said it was a ’bit odd’ that two sets of accounts had not been published. She pointed out that the last accounts laid before Tynwald in October 2019 said the Meat Plant would not be a growing concern without government funding.

Mr Baker said the accounts would be laid before Tynwald in due course but he said more recently they had been consolidated in the government’s published accounts.

Mrs Caine queried how an arm’s length company could have its accounts merged with those of government.

The chairman insisted they were ’consolidated’ and not ’merged’ and this reflected the fact that the effective control of Isle of Man Meats is through government.

Chris Thomas (Douglas Central) asked him to confirm that the subvention had doubled during the life of this administration, and that farmers pay a charge for collection and delivery costs.

Mrs Caine said the distribution charge had increased from 15 to 18p per kilo. She said, whether or not the accounts are consolidated, it would be ’better all round’ if the public were ’openly directed to where they are and what they say’.

Mr Baker said the distribution charges are in the terms and conditions and farmers are free to use other routes to market.

He said: ’We are running Isle of Man Meats as an arm’s length business. Most companies don’t put their accounts on their website unless they have a reason to do so.’

Mrs Caine interjected that this was £2m of public money.

Mr Baker continued: ’All the funding has gone through proper process, it’s got Treasury approvals and it’s got DEFA concurrence.

’If you want a meat plant on the Isle of Man it has to be funded. This is the level of funding that’s required to operate it.

’There have been allusions made about an increase in the cost of subvention. The reality is that the bulk of that has been reflected in better prices to the farm gate. We’ve got a far more vibrant, healthy agriculture sector as a result. Prior to 2018 the Meat Plant was heading in a downward spiral.’