Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas ended up arguing with a backbencher and Speaker Juan Watterson as he came under scrutiny over rates reform delays.

In the House of Keys last week, Mr Thomas refused to give explanations for a delay in bringing forward rates reform proposals that Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey) claimed had been promised for October last year.

Mr Hooper’s opening question was whether the Minister would report on rates reform in May or June.

The minister said he intended to make a statement in June.

Mr Hooper followed that up by pointing out the Programme for Government had outlined rates reform proposals for October- and that the item had been marked red, indicating it was late. He demanded to know what had caused the delay.

Mr Thomas tried to invoke standing orders, arguing that supplementary questions were meant to be about matters of fact arising from the original answer.

When Speaker Juan Watterson ruled that Mr Hooper’s question was ’quite reasonable’, Mr Thomas remarked: ’That is a slightly disappointing response.

’I think it is quite clear, the question was solely about the reporting date and I have given the answer that I will make a statement in June.’

He did not comment on any reason for the timing, so Mr Hooper tried again.

’In respect of the reporting date now having moved from October 2017 to June 2018,’ he said, ’if the Minister could please outline what problems he has experienced and what has caused that significant delay?’

But Mr Thomas was in no mood to give up a full explanation, arguing that no date to report had been given.

’The Programme for Government action is to set out a full plan for rates modernisation, it does not actually talk about reporting to Tynwald or anybody else,’ he said.

He said that his latest answer tallied with a previous response - on January 30 - when he had said he would ’not be at all surprised’ if Tynwald would be told about the reform plan in May or June.

Unperturbed, Mr Hooper quoted from the Programme for Government, which said: ’Set out a full plan for rates modernisation by October 2017.’

It was marked in red, which he understood meant it had not hit a deadline.

Mr Thomas managed to answer, once more, without explaining the timing,

He instead said if Mr Hooper tabled a question for a future sitting ’about the exact meaning of red and amber in the Programme for Government I would be delighted, because very little attention has been paid in this House or in the other Court to the actual process and progress of the Programme for Government actions and outcomes and indicated delivery’.

After the Minister made further reference to standing orders, Mr Watterson reminded him it was the Speaker’s job to monitor such issues.