A raft of familiar issues dominate a mammoth Tynwald question paper this week.

Although there is no formal sitting of Tynwald until October, written questions can be tabled and Tynwald members have taken full advantage. A total of 85 questions have been tabled.

Many hark back to familiar subjects. Some are virtual repeats of previous questions and others are direct responses to answers received to questions tabled in a similar format in August.

Liberal Vannin leader Kate Beecroft (Douglas South) continues her campaign to obtain more information about government’s purchase of the Steam Packet. She also has a raft of questions about the proposals for a half-tide dock in Liverpool, not all of which have been answered by this month’s announcement that a deal has now been struck.

In addition, she has questions for her successor as health minister, David Ashford, on a wide range of subjects.

Rather like an irritating rash, Brexit makes several appearances through the question paper. It cannot always be easy to answer them when the powers that be in Westminster do not seem to be sure what they are doing.

Jason Moorhouse (Arbory. Castletown and Malew) is keeping Environment Minister Geoffrey Boot occupied with questions about the spread of Japanese knotweed and monitoring of Cushag, along with what the latest is with the consultation on the Agricultural Holdings Act.

The cost of the temporary VIP facilities at the TT grandstand will come under scrutiny, while Claire Bettison (Douglas East) wants to know how much money has been put aside to reimburse those who had booked to attend Rally Isle of Man, which was cancelled at the last minute after the organisers and the government failed to reach an agreement over various concerns, including safety.

Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey) is in full forensic examination mode with 15 questions for Post Office chairman Julie Edge, covering its service obligations, pay and management structures, union consultation and when the five-year strategy will be published.

It has been a tumultuous time for the Office, which is reviewing its services in the light of the modern pressures and a loss made on its universal service obligation.

Ms Edge can console herself in the knowledge that Education Minister Graham Cregeen will have been equally busy preparing answers to the plethora of questions he faces.

She has contributed to his workload, by asking what the ’current job description, responsibilities and accountabilities for school improvement advisers are’ and if he will publish their annual reports.

Mr Moorhouse, meanwhile, wants to know whether, if a teacher is cleared of accusations of bullying or harassment, any action would be taken against the accuser.

Student loans and education spending also make appearances, while former children’s champion Daphne Caine (Garff) focusses her sights once more on obtaining a breakdown of attainment figures for primary school children.

Mr Cregeen has previously pointed out concern that school-by-school breakdowns for figures for certain year groups could risk identifying individual children, given the size of some cohorts. It will be interesting to see how the department addresses this.

Mrs Caine was told in August that any final figures needed to be verified by schools in September. With the schools back for just over a week, Mrs Caine has a new request for the statistics.

Head teachers are no doubt delighted that Mrs Caine chose not to wait until next month to the re-submit questions, because the start of the school year is known to be a very quiet time for them.

Still, at least they don’t have to read the entire Tynwald question paper.