A backbench MHK did not hold back in his criticism of the Office of Fair Trading as its chairman and head gave evidence to a Tynwald scrutiny committee.

Chris Robertshaw (Douglas East) blasted the OFT over its handling of the delayed investigation into dial-a-ride.

He also queried why MHKs were told that a Competition Bill currently making its way through the House of Keys was a matter of extreme urgency.

OFT chairman Martyn Perkins MHK said it was ’clear we needed to beef up our competition laws’ if the UK is to negotiate free trade agreements around the world on the Isle of Man’s behalf.

But Mr Robertshaw quoted Cabinet Office official David Corlett who said there was not the same urgency now as the Isle of Man was not included in the competition chapter of the Brexit deal.

Mr Perkins said he was not aware of this and accepted his position was an incorrect one - which Mr Robertshaw said was ’more than astonishing’. ’Clearly as chairman of the OFT you are extremely badly informed,’ he said. ’Why on earth are you not up to speed on this? I’m baffled.’

Head of the OFT John Peet insisted that a fit-for-purpose Competition Bill was needed for the negotiation of future free trade agreements.

Mr Robertshaw put it to them that the OFT had ’completely failed’ in its duty to investigate unfair competition allegations in relation to Bus Vannin’s dial-a-ride services over the last 18 months.

The OFT is considering engaging external consultants to carry out the investigation.

Mr Perkins replied that Mr Robertshaw was underestimating the complexity of the investigation which had nearly 900 files and 550 mB of electronic documentation to go through.

He said the Covid situation had delayed matters but the OFT had now gone out to tender and would be reporting back as to how to take the investigation forward.

Mr Peet said: ’We know why we’ve fallen behind, we do regret doing so, and so we’ve decided to try to expedite it, if we can, by seeking external help.’

He said the original plan had been to have a report ready by September 2020 but were now probably looking at September this year.

Mr Perkins said it would be for the Council of Ministers to make an ’informed choice’ about whether consultants would carry out the investigation or whether it should be done by the OFT.

But Mr Peet said this would be a board decision. Mr Robertshaw said: ’So the chairman does not even understand the process around such an important investigation?’

He queried how the OFT could be independent if its chief executive was also chief executive of another government department, DEFA.