The Manx TaxPayers’ Alliance is urging the Isle of Man’s Department of Infrastructure to adhere to its own policy by sharing quarterly statistics on home building. This data, particularly related to first-time buyers, is crucial for transparency and informed decision-making among residents, policymakers, and commercial stakeholders.

Background

According to the Department of Infrastructure’s ‘First Time Buyer Reporting and Allocations Policy’, introduced in September 2022, the department is committed to publishing quarterly statistics on its website. Specifically, Section 4.2 of the policy mandates that these statistics should be made available within one month after each quarter ends.

However, despite this policy being in place for over a year and a half, these statistics have not been made publicly accessible. When visiting the designated URL (www.gov.im/firsttimebuyers/statistics), an error message is encountered, indicating a significant lapse in the implementation of this transparency initiative.

Importance of Published Statistics

Publishing these statistics is not just a bureaucratic formality. It serves several vital functions:

• Informed Decision-Making: Prospective first-time home buyers need reliable data to make well-informed decisions.
• Policy Development: Accurate data assists policymakers in crafting effective housing policies and regulations.
• Market Analysis: Commercial stakeholders rely on these statistics to gauge market conditions and plan their activities accordingly.

Without these statistics, there is a gap in the information flow that hampers the ability of various stakeholders to operate effectively.

Manx TaxPayers’ Alliance Actions

In response to this failure, the Manx TaxPayers’ Alliance has written to Hon Tim Crookall MHK, Minister for the Department of Infrastructure. The letter highlights the department’s failure to implement its policy and asks for the Department of Infrastructure to start implementing its own published policy..

Additionally, the Manx TaxPayers’ Alliance has taken the initiative to publish a subset of relevant data on its website, providing some degree of transparency where the department has fallen short. This can be accessed here.

Call to Action

The Manx TaxPayers’ Alliance calls upon the Department of Infrastructure to:

1. Adhere to the Policy: Immediately begin publishing the mandated quarterly statistics.
2. Provide Historic Data: Release the statistics for the quarters that have already passed since the policy’s introduction.
3. Ensure Ongoing Compliance: Establish a robust system to guarantee that future data is published promptly and accurately.

By fulfilling these actions, the Department of Infrastructure can restore public trust and ensure that all stakeholders have access to the vital information they need.

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