An attempt to give the elderly a ’champion’ in Tynwald has been scuppered.

David Cretney MLC wanted Tynwald to call on the Council of Ministers appoints a ’champion for older people and the lonely’.

His idea was to have someone work across government departments to represent the interests of the elderly and lonely and act as a ’critical friend’. He said the role had been tried and tested in other jurisdictions.

But this was resisted last week, and members instead opted to support an amendment by Tim Baker (Ayre and Michael), which merely asks the Council of Ministers to review the ’particular needs of older people and the lonely’ and come up with an ’appropriate approach’.

Mr Cretney pointed out there were other ’champion’ roles, including the equality champion and children’s champion. While there were inconsistencies in role and remit, he said, the most glaring inconsistency was the absence of an independent champion for the elderly.

He said it wasn’t enough for a member of the Department of Health and Social Care to be charged with looking after the interests of the elderly. That person would be tied to the DHSC policy making process, he said, citing the change to Meals on Wheels service as an example.

Nor would that department member be involved in areas such as housing, transport or education.

Mr Cretney said: ’I have been asked, "Don’t all Tynwald members have a role to play in raising issues affecting the older people?"

’Yes, of course they do. But just as government has decided there should be champions in a number of areas, my argument is that because in the time ahead there are going to continue to be so many vitally important issues affecting this demographic a champion working with government and the third sector would provide the best focus in this area.’

Explaining his Council of Ministers-backed amendment, Mr Baker said Mr Cretney’s proposal as drafted was flawed and too prescriptive in offering a solution.

’What is a champion?’ he asked. ’What is the scope of the role, what is excluded from it?’

His amendment still put an obligation on CoMin but, he added: ’It does not say "this is the solution", it says "find a solution".’

Speaker Juan Watterson warned that the Council of Ministers had already made up its mind on the ’champion’ idea.

’This approach has already been rejected by the Council of Ministers,’ he said. ’I don’t see much point in sending it back there.’

Instead, Mr Watterson supported a different amendment, from DHSC member Clare Bettison, that wanted to send the issue to the social affairs policy review committee to consider.

Health Minister David Ashford, however, did not support that amendment, because he argued the SAPRC could choose to investigate the matter anyway.

He said Mr Cretney’s motion was ’vague’.

’I like to see things being created because they are going to achieve something,’ he said. ’I am not convinced of what this is actually going to achieve.’

Yet former health minister Kate Beecroft (Douglas South), however, said she would have welcomed a ’critical friend’ in her time and it could serve an important part of external governance.

Daphne Caine (Garff), said it was clear many people in the older generation felt ’unloved’ but added that she felt it would be a large burden for one person to carry as a champion for the older generation.

From her own experience as children’s champion, a role under review, she added: ’Departments do not always welcome a challenge from a so-called champion.’

Miss Bettison’s amendment was defeated by 14-10 in the Keys and 8-1 in Legislative Council.

Mr Baker’s amendment was approved 14-10 in the Keys and 5-4 in the Legislative Council.