Two government departments are to set to change their names - if Tynwald gives its approval this week.

The much-heralded relaunch of the under-fire Department of Economic Development, postponed from last month, will see it rebranded as the Department for Enterprise, with a number of its functions hived off to other departments.

It was announced in July that the DED, which has a £3.5m deficit, would be relaunched with a new name, fewer staff and more focus.

Proposals followed a strategic review. A number of its functions - including the Villa-Gaiety, the Job Centre, training services, energy policy and mining and minerals - will be transferred to other departments.

The plan will also see the creation of four public-private executive agencies covering finance, digital services, business and tourism.

Some 50 full-time staff, about a quarter of the total, plus 200 casual contract staff at the Villa-Gaiety, will be transferred but there will be no compulsory redundancies.

However, a number of fixed-term senior management posts were not renewed as part of the refocus. Among them was director of tourism Robin Bischert who left the department in September.

’His vacant post will be considered as the Visit Agency is developed,’ said a DED spokesman.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education and Children is to be renamed the Department of Education, Sport and Culture in recognition of its new functions that have been transferred over from the DED including responsibility for the Villa-Gaiety.

An explanatory note with the motion to Tynwald said this will provide ’greater clarity, purpose and focus’ as to DESC’s role and responsibilities. It reads: ’Statutory responsibility for the welfare of children rests with the Department of Health and Social Care and there has been confusion in the past around the respective roles and responsibilities of DEC and DHSC.

’Transfer of the Villa Marina and Gaiety Theatre to DESC fits into a broader strategy of closer working between agencies that represent cultural activity on the island.’

Training, apprenticeships and careers advice will also be transferred from the DED to the new-look DESC.

Among other functions transferred from the DED are the licensing and leases for mines and minerals, which go to DEFA, and petroleum licensing and royalties, which move to DoI.

Responsibility for the Job Centre, employment schemes and the Disability Employment Services are transferred to Treasury.

Treasury is also the new home for funding for school meals.