Chief Minister Howard Quayle has praised the role of Tynwald in scrutinising the government throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since the State of Emergency was first declared, Tynwald has only voted down one measure presented to it by the government and that resulted in the sacking of former Minister for Policy and Reform Chris Thomas.

Mr Quayle told Tynwald: ’Throughout this crisis, I have welcomed and indeed solicited your views, your ideas and your input, as have my colleagues in the Council of Ministers.

’Our unity has not, however, been at the expense of scrutiny. Tynwald has done and continues to do its job in holding the government to account and scrutinising its work.’

He gave the examples of ministers and civil servants appearing in front of the Public Accounts Committee and the weekly sittings of Tynwald as further proof of scrutiny.

However, alongside the sacking of Mr Thomas, which came after he voted against a motion under the Emergency Powers Act to alter how planning inquires are performed, there have been accusations of government not welcoming scrutiny of its decisions.

Throughout this period, the Chief Minister has told members he was ’disappointed’ with their tone and questions i.e. Daphne Caine (Garff) when she compared conditions residents were kept in at the Comis Hotel to those of prisoners at the Isle of Man Prison.

Mr Quayle said: ’I expect better from the honourable member.’

Criticism

The Chief Minister was also accused of dodging scrutiny by Speaker Juan Watterson in April when he announced changes to the lockdown measures during a press conference, just hours after not mentioning them in Tynwald. That led to a war of words between the two men.

Onchan MHK Rob Callister also criticised the government for informing the public before Tynwald of changes to regulations when it was announced groups of 10 people were to be allowed to meet outside.

He said: ’As an elected member I don’t feel I’m in touch with the information that I need to pass on to my constituents.’

Mr Quayle said a copy of information given out at the press briefing is emailed in advance to all Tynwald members who also get two department briefings a week.

On the same day, Chris Robertshaw (Douglas East) suggested emergency regulations were getting ’ever more complex and convoluted’. ’Isn’t it time that CoMin gave up on these endlessly complex regulations and replace them with simple guidance?’

Mr Quayle said he was ’disappointed’ by the comments and that the public fully supported the changes made.