Three MLCs have taken on the role of acting government minister in the past year.

This is despite several MHKs being opposed to MLCs even being department members, let alone holding a ministerial position at any point.

At present, all the permanent ministers are MHKs.

But Chief Minister Howard Quayle has confirmed the occasions when an MLC has stepped in as acting minister due to an absence or unavailability of the minister.

Geoff Corkish has stood in as acting minister at the Department of Education and Children on two occasions, February 12-15 and September 21-25. Mike Coleman has stepped in as acting minister at the Department of Home Affairs seven times: December 2-5, March 27-April 3, April 29-May 7, May 21-24, July 7-9, July 28-31, September 5-18. David Anderson was acting minister at the Department of Infrastructure twice, December 17-24 and July 31-August 14.

The DEC has two members who are MHKs; the DHA has two MHKs plus another MLC; and there are three MHKs at DoI. In all instances, the MHKs entered the Keys in September 2016.