Chief Minister Howard Quayle has moaned about the expense and time taken up by his staff having to provide details to answer a House of Keys question.

Julie Edge (Onchan) had followed up her previous questions about why the Department of Education, Sport and Culture had not had a full external review by asking how may any external reviews had taken place of government departments, boards and offices.

Replying that there were 335 external reviews from 2014-18, Mr Quayle said clarification had been needed from Ms Edge before the answer could be prepared.

’I have to say it has taken a considerable amount of officer time.’

He was unimpressed when Ms Edge further asked if he could circulate a list of the 335 reviews, including details of cost and scope.

’If the member wants to add yet further cost to my officers to work out what their costs were, I am more than happy to do that and I am more than happy to give all the years and the splits,’ he said.

’We have split it down into the amount of reviews per year: for example, 2014 was 32; 2015, 38; 2016, 95; 2017, 71; and 2018, 91.’