Tynwald last week rejected recommendations to reform the legislative process.

The proposals were included in the final instalment of responses by a select committee to recommendations made by the Lisvane Report on parliamentary reform.

Only one of four recommendations made by the select committee on the functioning of Tynwald in this report, covering scrutiny and the legislative process, was adopted - and that was after it was amended.

Concern was raised about the potential to blur the lines between the roles of the executive and the parliament.

Select committee member Dr Alex Allinson (Ramsey) acknowledged many of the concerns raised during a lengthy debate. He admitted the select committee should have sought legal advice on the recommendations, after Attorney General John Quinn highlighted potential constitutional problems with some of the proposals.

He added: ’Some of the best and most useful contributions have been made by the Legislative Council. The very same Legislative Council that this whole process sought to get rid of in the first place.’

The first recommendation, that committees ’should be encouraged to inquire into the Programme for Government’ including draft legislation was approved, after an amendment tabled by Tanya August-Hanson MLC added in a provision to alter the wording of current rules to say they ’may’ scrutinise established policies, rather than ’shall’.

But three other recommendations - to have a Tynwald standing orders committee review of the legislative system, technical changes to rules on the titles of the bill, and when changes to the scope of a bill could be made - were all voted down.

It marks the end of the chapter in terms of Tynwald’s reaction to the Lisvane Report. While some of his recommendations, including the introduction of a Programme for Government, have been implemented, others were watered down or have seen little significant change after referral to select committees.