The Cabinet Office has been accused of trying to set and mark its own homework over changes to planning rules.

The changes mean government departments can apply for a national policy directive (NPD) to override a development plan and ’make the planning system much more responsive to changing circumstances’.

Under the changes, delivered to Tynwald by Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas, the Cabinet Office will review a proposal before making a recommendation to the Council of Ministers who, if satisfied by the proposal, will send it for a six week consultation.

After the consultation, the Cabinet Office will then produce a report which summarises the main issues of the consultation, respond to the issues and then issues a recommendation to Tynwald for approval.

If an NPD is approved, it will later be assessed to determine if the right decision was made. Again this will be done by the Cabinet Office.

The role of the Cabinet Office was criticised by several MHKs including Clare Barber (Douglas East) who said it amounted to ’marking their own homework’.

Mrs Barber said the changes would mean Cabinet Office would be able to propose, report the need, oversee the consultation and draw up the report before doing a review of whether the effects of the NPD ’were correctly anticipated by the Cabinet Office’.

She added: ’So the Cabinet Office would be marking their own homework, suggesting the homework topic, writing the questions, deciding if the input of others was valid, answering the questions and then finish off with marking it again to make sure the circle is complete.’

Lawrie Hooper (Lib Vannin, Ramsey) wanted more of an idea as to what sort of evidence would be accepted by Mr Thomas and the Cabinet Office.

Mr Hooper said: ’Would anecdotal evidence be sufficient for NPD? Because it seems at the moment he’ll accept anything from anyone as long as we call it evidence which I’m a bit concerned about.’

Bill Shimmins (Middle) said he ’understood the desire’ for the changes but advised the NPD’s only be used ’very sparingly’.

Mr Thomas assured members that there is ’all kinds of checks and balances’ in the changes and reminded them that to pass a NPD, Tynwald approval is needed.

He added: ’We’re taking this process very seriously and no department will be able to make a proposal for one of these things through to CoMin unless it has substantial evidence, substantial analysis and unless all the alternatives have been assessed.’

The changes passed with eight MHKs and one MLC voting against.