IOMToday writes that arm’s-length Manx government-owned ferry operations such as the Isle of Man Steam Packet could become subject to Freedom of Information laws.

Minister for Policy and Reform Chris Thomas says that transparency when public money is involved is important, but must be balanced against commercial confidentiality.

The issue of arm’s-length companies and FoI requests was highlighted when the Positive Action Group submitted a request in relation to the Steam Packet which was rejected.

The PAG asked the government’s Department of Infrastructure for ’figures for the carbon emissions of the Steam Packet fleet (for both the Manannan and the Ben-my-Chree individually) per kilometre, per mile or per journey’.

However, this was rejected as the Department of Infrastructure does not hold that information.

The DoI said in its response: ’You may already be aware that the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company is not subject to Freedom of Information, although they may be open to a dialogue on the subject if you approach them direct.’

In response to this, Mr Thomas told the Isle of Man Examiner that he personally thinks that FoI might need to be ’tailored for arm’s-length operations, in several variants for each of the types of public bodies that currently exist or might come to exist’.

The Manx government bought the Steam Packet last year for £124 million and to read more on the FoI related story click here.