A backbench MHK is querying why an independent review of the Department of Infrastructure has been kept so low key.

Management consultants Beamans have been appointed to conduct the review of the DoI’s ’capacity and capability’.

But no press release has been issued about the appointment - although a statement has appeared on the government website.

Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse had tabled a question to this week’s House of Keys sitting asking when the media had been informed about the review.

In the event his question has been deferred until next week after MHKs voted not to extend question time beyond its allotted hour.

Posting on Facebook, Mr Moorhouse said he had been interviewed by Beamans last week and they had seemed ’equally surprised by the low-key nature of the investigation’.

In a letter sent to Tynwald members at the end of February, Chief Minister Howard Quayle said: ’Whilst clearly many members and other stakeholders will wish to contribute to the review, I have asked that the opportunity to comment is restricted to those that have direct experience of the operation of the department.’

The terms of reference make it clear that this is not a review of the effectiveness of DoI’s operations.

Rather, it is a review of the ’effectiveness of department’s management and governance arrangements for managing the interface with its various operational divisions, services and clients’.

In particular, it will explore how ’existing management and organisational arrangements could be improved to provide more effective governance and accountability’.

It will also examine the department’s ability to assume responsibility for capital projects.

The review follows concerns over the delivery and management of capital projects across government, a great many of which are managed by the DoI.

The Council of Ministers has approved the creation of a Major Projects Unit within the Cabinet Office which is to take responsibility for the delivery of major projects with a value of more than £3m.

The Chief Minister said the review is part of plans to improve the delivery of infrastructure investment announced in the Budget

Mr Quayle said: ’In addition to this I have also requested that a broader review of the department be undertaken to consider its capacity and capability to deliver its services more generally.

’It is important that the arrangements we have in place for the management of infrastructure projects are fit for purpose and I look forward to hearing the views of Beamans on how the department can be best organised and resourced.’

The review was scheduled to begin in early March with a target date for submission of a report by the end of April.

Beamans was called in to look at the Department of Education. Its 111-page report concluded that the relationship between the Department and teachers is ’fractured and must be repaired.’

Since then there has been a change in the leadership in the department.