The internal inquiry into how a story of political intrigue was leaked to the media has cost the taxpayer £6,000.

Isle of Man Newspapers revealed in May how Health and Social Care Minister Kate Beecroft had attempted to oust her department’s chief executive Malcolm Couch.

Personal differences between the two came to a head when she asked the political members to sign a letter relating to Dr Couch’s continued position - essentially a vote of no confidence.

Onchan MHK Rob Callister refused to sign and subsequently resigned, although he never made public the reason for his resignation.

The Public Services Commission launched an inquiry into how the story was leaked and appointed advocate Paul Morris to lead the investigation.

That investigation has now been concluded but the outcome has never been made public.

Now the Cabinet Office has confirmed that the total cost of the inquiry conducted by Mr Morris into how information was leaked to the media concerning Mr Callister’s resignation cost £6,075.

The figure was given in response to a Freedom of Information request made by Ramsey commissioner Eric Corkish.

Mr Corkish said: ’In my opinion this was a total waste of taxpayers’ money.

’As if spending the money was not bad enough, the Cabinet Office has said the report will not be made public so one must ask what was the point?’

Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper has tabled a question on the issue in next week’s House of Keys. ’We’ll find out soon what any outcomes were,’ he posted.

Before publishing the story, Isle of Man Newspapers also submitted an FoI request asking for copies of all emails and other communications between Rob Callister MHK and Chief Minister Howard Quayle and/or Chief Secretary Will Greenhow relating to the continued position of Malcolm Couch as chief executive of the DHSC.

Our request was refused on the grounds that disclosure would be ’likely to prejudice the effective conduct of public business’ and ’to reveal whether the information exists or is held by the Cabinet Office, would be contrary to the public interest’.

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas has insisted the PSC investigation was ’in no way a witch-hunt’.

He said it was not prompted by an external complaint but was instigated by the PSC ’in recognition of its duty of care to its employees and in particular, that staffing matters should be respected as personal and confidential’.

It is understood that following the intervention of the Chief Minister, Mrs Beecroft and Mr Couch agreed to put their differences aside.

Isle of Man Newspapers would never betray the identity of anyone who disclosed information to us if they wanted to retain their anonymity.