Adrian Earnshaw

Currently Minister for Home Affairs

2007-08 Minister for Tourism and Leisure

2003-06 Member of the Treasury

2002-03 Member of DHSS and DOLGE

2002-03 Member of Public Accounts Committee

Have served as a Member of many other Tynwald and House of Keys Committees

1996-01 Member of Onchan District Commissioners-----Board Chairman in 2000

What is your view on health care provision on the Island?

We live on an Island that has very good health care services, largely based on free health care to all eligible Island residents. The Island has a national health service it can be proud of at both primary level, G.P's etc. and also first rate hospital services at Nobles Hospital and at Ramsey. For people needing specialist treatment not available on the Isle of Man this is provided by specialist teams at U.K Hospitals.

The Government's estimated net spending on Health Services in 2011/12 is £121.37m, 22.76% of the total budget.

Does the Island provide a good education?

Yes, the Island does provide quality educational facilities at primary, secondary and tertiary levels with high standards of teaching across the Island for a wide range of subjects. The buildings and facilities, in many cases, are available for community use. The Island’s Tertiary Grants System provides the financial support, subject to eligibility, for students to further their education at a diverse range of Colleges and Universities.

Estimated net spending on the Department of Education and Children in 2011/12 is £95.69m, 17.95% of the total budget.

Should the Island be independent?

The Island's constitutional status is that of a Crown Dependency and our relationship with the European Union is determined by the provisions of Protocol 3 to the U.K. Treaty of Accession, which has been the case since 1973. Our relationships with the U.K. are governed by a number of agreements, including the Customs & Excise Agreement and also Health and Social Security -------- separate but both reciprocal.

The Island's relationship with the U.K. and internationally has evolved over the last 25 years so that the Island is now able to negotiate agreements direct with other countries such as the tax information exchange agreements and double taxation treaties.

Any further moves for greater autonomy leading to more independence would require substantial re-negotiation of existing agreements and clear long term benefits for the people and businesses of the Island. As we trade worldwide and are part of the global economy we need to keep under constant review our relationships with the U.K. and international organisations.

What are your views on the islands taxation regime and VAT?

For many years the Island has maintained a low taxation regime which has encouraged many companies and businesses to establish themselves here. This in turn has led to employment opportunities requiring many different skills. At present we have comparatively low unemployment levels. Having a zero/ten tax base for companies has been beneficial to the Island but recently the EU Code of Conduct Group has been scrutinising our tax regime and as a result steps were taken by Treasury to remove ARI from April 2012 so that Island is not seen to be competing unfairly.

The Customs and Excise Agreement with the U.K has been the subject of review but in the short to medium term it would not be practical to replace this mechanism for collecting indirect tax. Long term all options can be reviewed but the benefits of Manx based businesses having access to the wider European VAT area should not be underestimated nether should the free movement of goods into Europe be down-played.

Is inflation hurting the Isle of Man?

Yes, inflation affects every person and every business on the Island. It erodes the value of assets, reduces real income returns and has a detrimental effect on energy costs, raw material prices and food costs. Unfortunately, inflation tends to be a world-wide problem and one in which the Island has little influence or ability to affect the rates of imported inflation. Government can help in certain instances through the benefits systems.

Should there be state owned monopolies or free market competition (i.e. Water, Post, Gas, Electricity, Telecom's, Ferry Travel etc..)?

In a mixed economy there is a need for essential services such as Water and Electricity to be publicly owned as these are key infrastructure services. Private enterprise, such as oil and gas companies compete against one another to provide heating services. In off-island transport, the IOMSPCo., whilst having the benefits and obligations of the User Agreement, competes for freight services and also as far as passenger services competes with the airlines.

The history of open competition for sea ferry services brings to mind the situation when Manx Line started. Open competition brought both ferry services to their knees because there was insufficient trade at that time to support two ferry services. This led to the introduction of the User Agreement which regulates service levels, pricing and routes.

In any consideration of providing services, whether private or public sector, a balance has to be struck in order that services are provided at a fair price to the consumer.

Should we have an open seas policy like the open sky's policy?

We should be careful with this issue as sea transport is our lifeline and I would invite you to read the answer in the preceding box.

Does the Island do enough to protect its environment?

We live on an Island with great natural beauty and a healthy environment. However, in an ever changing world where natural resources, particularly fossil fuels, are being depleted there will be a need to keep a weather eye on the use of alternative energy sources such as wind, tidal or wave power. However, there will continue to be a need to maintain investment in our traditional power generation sources.

As well as the natural environment we also must consider the built environment to ensure that our planning and building regulation policies are tailored to the special requirements of the Island to allow change and growth.

Where do you see the future of the Islands economy (i.e. Finance, Manufacturing, Service, Tourism, Film, Space etc)?

The Island has a well diversified economy which has seen continuous growth over the last 25 years. In a mature economy some sectors grow, some decline but there is always a need to introduce new employment opportunities so that the economy has a broad base. The Department of Economic Development is charged with seeking to support existing businesses and to find new businesses willing to invest on the Island. This will help the economy directly by employing labour and contributing to the Island’s exchequer.

Where do you think new jobs can be generated?

The status of the Island, having autonomy in legislation, regulation and taxation has enabled businesses to establish and maintain a presence here. As with most Island economy’s with few natural resources and with the added costs of import and export the Isle of Man has to develop high tech, high value industries and the space industry and the e-gaming businesses are examples of this.

In this digital age there are probably still opportunities to develop internet based enterprises because of the resilient telecoms and data facilities available.

We should also not forget that many existing businesses continue to grow and expand and the manufacturing sector is an example of this growth. So the Island must constantly look to support existing sectors as well as encouraging new enterprises.

Should the Chief Minister and MLC's be publicly elected?

No ------ Members of the House of Keys are elected under the "Representation of the People Act 1995". As this suggests, the public should rightly expect their representatives to accept and exercise the responsibility given to them to act in the best interests of the Island. By having the benefit of working in close association with potential candidates for the role of Chief Minister and knowing their true qualities, I believe Tynwald Members are best placed to make the appropriate decision.

Details will appear here.