Each Chamber has its own Standing Orders, a set of rules and procedures which must be followed.

Procedure in each Chamber is controlled by the Presiding Officer in accordance with the appropriate Standing Orders. In each case the Presiding Officer’s interpretation of Standing Orders is authoritative. 

Each Chamber has a Standing Orders Committee responsible for keeping the Standing Orders under review. Standing Orders can be amended by a resolution of the relevant Chamber, usually on a recommendation put forward by its Standing Orders Committee.

The business to be discussed in each Chamber is set out in an Order Paper. For the House of Keys and Legislative Council, Questions are also included on the Order Paper. In Tynwald Court a separate Question Paper is produced in addition to the Order Paper. These papers are prepared in each case by the Clerk or Secretary and issued under the authority of the Presiding Officer.

Submission deadlines

The timings of submission of items for the Order Papers and Tynwald Oral Question Paper, and the timings for the distribution of these papers, are governed by Standing Orders as set out in the following table:

Order of Business

For the House of Keys and Legislative Council, the normal order of business is:

• Questions for Oral Answer;
• Bills;
• Other motions

In Tynwald Court the order of business is laid down in Standing Orders.[xi] Most Order Papers include:

• Laying of papers;
• Questions for Oral Answer;
• Statements;
• Financial motions;
• Reports of Government Departments;
• Reports of Tynwald Committees;
• Other motions;
• General Debates;
• Non-contentious subordinate legislation.

Further business not contained in the Order Paper may only be considered with the approval of Tynwald and would normally be included in a Supplementary Order Paper.

Not all papers laid before Tynwald Court are debated. Common examples of papers which are laid, but not debated, are annual reports of government bodies and certain types of secondary legislation.

Electronic versions of papers are made available to Members and to the public via the Tynwald website. Hard copies of papers can be provided to Members on request and to the public on payment of a printing charge.

Documents are often submitted to Tynwald by Isle of Man Government Departments. Guidance to assist staff with this process is produced by the Cabinet Office.

Order Paper No. 2

For the Budget sitting of Tynwald a separate Order Paper is prepared, known as ‘Order Paper No. 2’. This Order Paper and the associated papers are provided to Members and to the Clerk and Deputy Clerk of Tynwald at least six days prior to the sitting,[xii] but are treated as strictly confidential until the presentation of the Budget.[xiii]

Register of Business

The Register of Business provides information about upcoming items of business in Tynwald. Since September 2021, most papers and motions for consideration and decision by Tynwald must be submitted and published on the Register at least four weeks before a scheduled sitting.[xiv]  

Certain types of business do not have to complete the full registration period.[xv]  These include:

• Papers for laying that are not subject to any motion;
• Secondary legislation that has already come into effect (subject to affirmative procedure and negative resolution);[xvi]
• Secondary legislation that is subject to the ‘laying only’ procedure;[xvii]
• Secondary that must be laid according to another statutory timescale;[xviii]
• Government Responses to Parliamentary Committee reports;[xix]
• Statements.

Members may also use the Register of Business to table amendments,[xx] and place a notice that a statutory document is contentious and requires further consideration.[xxi]

[i] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 2.4(1)-(1B)

[ii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 2.4(1)

[iii] Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 2.1(3)

[iv] Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 2.2

[v] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 2.4(1)(c)

[vi] Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 2.2

[vii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 10.9

[viii] Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 2.1(2)

[ix] Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 2.1(5)

[x] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 10.9(5A)

[xi] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 2.2(4)

[xii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 2.4(2)

[xiii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 2.2.(2)

[xiv] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 2.4(1)(a) 

[xv] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 2.4(1B)

[xvi] Under the Legislation Act 2015, statutory documents subject to affirmative procedure and negative resolution must be laid before Tynwald as soon as practicable.

[xvii] Under the Legislation Act 2015, ‘laying only’ statutory documents must be laid before Tynwald as soon as practicable.

[xviii] For example, regulations under the Emergency Powers Act 1936 must be laid within seven days.

[xix] The Government Response should be submitted in time for the debate on any recommendations made by a Committee. Committee reports with recommendations are debated at least two months after they have been laid before Tynwald.

[xx] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 10.12A(5).

[xxi] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 10.9B(1).

A Question may be addressed to any Member on a public matter for which the Member holds responsibility.[i] Many Questions in Tynwald Court and the House of Keys are addressed to Ministers or Chairs of Statutory Boards. In the Legislative Council, where Ministers are not normally present, Questions are normally addressed to ‘a representative of...’ the relevant Department.

In Tynwald Court and the House of Keys, Questions are governed by rules set out in their respective Standing Orders.[ii] These rules exclude a Question which, for instance:

• repeats in substance a Question which has been answered within the past six months;
• refers to a matter which is sub judice;
• makes or implies a charge of a personal nature.

Further rules regarding Questions include:

• the length of Questions and Answers: Oral Questions should generally not exceed 50 words, and responses should take no longer than three minutes;[iii]
• the rota for answering oral Questions: three Questions are allowed to each Member answering in rotation; [iv]
• the delivery of oral Questions: Members are required to read their oral Questions out loud;[v]
• the postponement of Answers: subject to the discretion of the Presiding Officer, a Member answering may postpone his or her response in order to allow more time for the information to be collated.

Members table Questions by submitting them on an online form, specifying whether the Question is for oral or written answer. The Clerk examines tabled Questions to ensure that they conform to Standing Orders and the house style. The Clerk may also suggest amendments to the wording to make the Question clearer. 

Oral Questions are asked during Question Time, which normally begins shortly after the beginning of the sitting. In Tynwald, two and a half hours are scheduled for oral Questions; in the House of Keys, one hour is scheduled. The Questions are taken in the order in which they appear on the Order Paper or Question Paper.

On being called to ask the Question by the Presiding Officer, the Member rises in their seat and reads out the Question as printed on the Order or Question Paper. Once the Question has been asked, the Presiding Officer will invite the Member to whom the Question was addressed to reply.

If the Member who is to ask the Question is absent from the Chamber when the Question is reached, the Question may be deferred, asked by another Member, or answered in writing. Similar rules apply when the Member answering is absent from the Chamber. 

Ordering of Questions and Starred Questions

In Tynwald and the House of Keys, where most Questions are tabled, there is a system for ordering and prioritising Questions.

For each sitting there is a Departmental priority list, beginning with questions to the Presiding Officer (which are rare), then the Chief Minister and the Minister for the Treasury.  Then the other Departmental Ministers are asked Questions, starting in a different place each week, followed by Chairs of Statutory Boards and other bodies. 

In May 2023, a system of starred oral questions was adopted in all three Chambers. This system gives each Member one ‘starred question’ per sitting, which takes priority in the ordering over any other Questions tabled by the Member. Starred Questions are also ordered according to the Departmental priority list for each sitting. 

In the preparation of the Order Paper or Question Paper, unstarred Questions are first laid out in the order in which they were received. Unstarred Questions are then sorted according to the Departmental priority list for the sitting, with a maximum of three consecutive Questions to each Minister. If there are more than three Questions to any Department, the cycle is repeated as many times as needed. Within each Departmental segment, the Questions are still in first-come, first-served order.

Finally, beginning May 2025, Questions within Departmental segments are reordered to ensure that, as far as possible, two consecutive Questions are not asked by the same Member. This is intended to improve the diversity of voices heard during Question Time. 

Supplementary Oral Questions

Supplementary Questions may be asked by the Member who has tabled a Question or any other Member. Normally, the Member who has tabled the Question will be called first to ask a supplementary Question. Other Members need to catch the eye of the Presiding Officer to be invited to ask a supplementary Question. The number of supplementary Questions permitted following a tabled Question is at the discretion of the Presiding Officer. Supplementary Questions must relate to the original Question.

Written Answers to Oral Questions not reached

Unless Standing Orders are suspended, oral Questions continue in the House of Keys for one hour and in Tynwald Court for two and a half hours. In Tynwald, where a Question is tabled for oral answer but is not reached, a Written Answer is provided; in the House of Keys, Members may choose to receive a written Answer or ask for the Question to be postponed to the following sitting. Where an oral Question is converted to written answer, the answer must be supplied within 48 hours of the sitting for publication on the Tynwald website. 

Questions for Written Answer

From 29^th September 2021, Questions for written answer may be tabled at any time.[vi]   

Once the Question has been checked by the Clerk, any amendments have been approved by the Member, and the relevant Department has been notified, the Question is published on the Tynwald website.  The responsible Minister or Member must give an Answer within two weeks (or three weeks if the Question is published in August or September),[vii] which is also published on the Tynwald website.

Previously, Questions for written answer appeared on Order and Question Papers in the same way as Questions for oral answer. Written Answers were circulated during sittings, other than in August and September (in 2015 and from 2017 to 2020) when they were circulated on the third Tuesday of the month as if Tynwald Court had been sitting.

[i] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.3-3.10; Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 3.6; Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 3.3-3.10

[ii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.3-3.4; Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 3.3-3.4.5. In 2015, the House of Keys adopted the recommendation of its Standing Orders Committee that the practice of asking Questions in the House of Keys be brought in line with the practice in Tynwald (see First Report for the Session 2014-2015: Rules relating to Questions [PP 2015/0092]).

[iii] By resolution of Tynwald on 20^th January 2015; see footnote to Standing Orders of Tynwald 3.4(1).

[iv] Standing Orders of Tynwald, Annex 3: Questions Guidance

[v] This has been the case since January 2015, when the recommendations in PP 2014/0140 were adopted. The idea was to encourage Members to use the time available for Questions more efficiently, and to aid the comprehension of those following the proceedings. The Member asking the Question used to rise and say, ‘I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name’. After an experimental period of 12 months, the practice was made permanent in February 2016 (see Debates of the Legislature T133 864-866).

[vi] Standing Orders of Tynwald Court, 3.5(7)

[vii] Standing Orders of Tynwald 3.5(7).

Members, usually Ministers or Committee Chairs, may make Statements on matters for which they bear responsibility. Members may ask questions on matters arising from the Statement.[i]

A Member may also make a personal statement, in which case no questions may be asked.[ii]

[i] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.5(5)(a)

[ii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.5(5)(b); cf. Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 3.24(7)

A Motion is a proposal made by a Member that a Chamber: [i]

• do something;
• order something to be done; or
• express an opinion.

A Motion may be ruled out of order for several reasons:

• If it is the same in substance as one which has already been resolved during the same session (i.e. parliamentary year);[ii]
• If, in Tynwald Court, the Motion refers to a Bill which is being considered by either the House of Keys or the Legislative Council;[iii]
• If the Motion seeks to increase public expenditure or reduce public income without the prior concurrence of the Treasury.[iv]

It is in order for any Member to speak to a Motion or move an Amendment to it.

An Amendment is a special type of Motion which proposes an alteration to a substantive Motion. It must be relevant to the Motion to which it refers. It is permissible, by way of amendment, to leave out all the words of a Motion except the initial word ‘That’ and substitute other words.

In Tynwald Court, no notice is required of an Amendment, but a Member wishing to move an Amendment should submit it to the relevant Clerk in sufficient time for it to be checked for compliance with the Standing Orders and reproduced in hard copy for circulation to Members at the appropriate time. The Member proposing to move an Amendment may determine the time at which they would wish copies of the Amendment to be circulated. Amendments may also be added to the Register of Business if the Member so wishes;[v] other Members may also indicate their support for Amendments published on the Register.[vi]

In the House of Keys, Amendments to Bills must be tabled six days in advance of the sitting.[vii] In the Legislative Council, Amendments to Bills must be tabled seven days before the sitting except by leave of the Council.[viii]

If a Motion or Amendment has been moved and seconded, it cannot be withdrawn without the leave of the Chamber.

[i] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.11-3.17; Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 3.6-3.7; Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 3.11-3.17

[ii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.11(1); Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 3.11(1)

[iii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.11(3)

[iv] Treasury Act 1985, Section 10

[v] Standing Orders of Tynwald Court, 10.12A(5)

[vi] Standing Orders of Tynwald Court, 10.12A(6)

[vii] Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 2.2

[viii] Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 2.1 (3)-(4)

Secondary legislation is made under powers conferred by primary legislation on Ministers and others. Items of secondary legislation are known as Statutory Documents (SDs). An individual SD may also be described as an Order, a set of Rules, or a set of Regulations.

In each case, the primary legislation setting out the power to make the SD will also set out any Tynwald procedure which is to be applied.

Unless a statute provides otherwise,[i] there is no power to amend items of secondary legislation. Members can only amend the motion itself.

Referral to the Branches

From September 2021, any Statutory Document may be referred to the Branches for more detailed scrutiny and debate.

The purpose of the referral process is to give Members the opportunity to debate and vote on proposals for amendments to the Statutory Document. Proposed amendments agreed to by the Branches have no direct legal force but they send a political signal to the Minister or other authority responsible for making the secondary legislation. If the proposed amendments are accepted, it is for the Member in charge to make arrangements for the Statutory Document to be revoked and remade with the agreed amendments.

At least eight Members must support a proposal for a piece of secondary legislation to be referred to the Branches for detailed scrutiny. This can be done via a motion on the Register of Business or in the Chamber.[ii]

The procedure for debating secondary legislation in the Branches broadly mirrors the procedure for primary legislation: the House of Keys and Legislative Council each consider the statutory document in turn, debate and vote on proposed amendments, and both Branches must agree with the proposed amendments.

If, despite the referral, the Minister wishes to proceed as planned with the statutory document, he or she may place it on the next available Tynwald Order Paper with the consent of the President. Tynwald, voting as one body, needs to consent before the SD can be debated and voted on.[iii]

[i] For example, the Emergency Powers Act 1936.

[ii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 10.9A(1)

[iii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 10.9A(2)

Certain documents made by Ministers or the Council of Ministers may be put before Tynwald for approval even though they are not made under a power in primary legislation. Examples include strategy or policy documents and annual reports. These are normally referenced as Government Documents (GD).

During a debate Members may only speak when called upon by the Presiding Officer. Members may indicate that they wish to speak by rising or catching the eye of the Presiding Officer. In Tynwald Court and the House of Keys, Members rise to speak. In the Legislative Council Members remain seated when speaking. In all three Chambers all remarks must be addressed to the chair (‘Madam/Mr President’ or ‘Madam/Mr Speaker’).

Members are called to speak in the following order:

1. The proposer of the motion;
2. The seconder of the motion;
3. Other Members;
4. The proposer to reply to the debate.

In Tynwald Court no Member may speak more than once except that a right of reply is given to the proposer of the motion, or to a Member who has proposed an adjournment.[i] The seconder of a substantive motion may, when seconding, reserve his or her remarks. This means that he or she delays any substantive contribution to a later stage in the debate. However, a Member moving an Amendment or procedural Motion may not reserve his or her remarks.[ii]

Similar rules apply in the House of Keys except that a right of reply is also given to a Member who has moved an Amendment.[iii]

In the Legislative Council Members may speak more than once on any matter, subject to the approval of the President.[iv] In Tynwald Court and the House of Keys there are a number of further rules of debate designed to ensure courteous and orderly conduct of proceedings.[v]

[i] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.26

[ii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.24, Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 3.26

[iii] Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 3.28

[iv] Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 3.10(3)

[v] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.23 and 3.30–3.34; Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 3.24 and 3.32–3.34

General principles[i]

When a vote arises in any of the three Chambers, every Member present is required to vote either for or against the motion. The exceptions are that:

• in the House of Keys, the Speaker may abstain;[ii]
• in Tynwald Court and the Legislative Council, HM Attorney General cannot vote.[iii]

Procedure for public votes

Most debates are determined by a public vote.[iv] At the end of any debate the Presiding Officer puts the motion to the Chamber.

Most decisions are made using an oral vote. The Presiding Officer asks Members to indicate orally whether they are in favour of the Motion (‘those in favour say aye’) or against the Motion (‘those against say no)’, allowing a pause each time for Members to respond. The Presiding Officer then gives an opinion on the response, stating either that ‘the ayes have it’ or ‘the noes have it’. If the Presiding Officer states this opinion twice without being interrupted, the voting procedure is concluded.

If any voting Member disagrees with the Presiding Officer’s opinion and/or wishes the matter to be put to a recorded vote, he or she may request a division by calling ‘Divide’. This must be done before the Presiding Officer states his or her opinion for the second time.

If a division is successfully called, the Members vote:

• in Tynwald Court, using the electronic voting system;
• in the House of Keys, using the electronic voting system; and
• in the Legislative Council, by means of a called vote.

The Presiding Officer announces the result of the division. Where the electronic voting system is used, a Member may ask the Clerk to read aloud the names of the Members voting for or against. The complete results of all divisions are included in the Official Report of the debate and Votes and Proceedings. If they are required urgently by a Member or journalist, they can be provided by the Clerks on request.

In the event that the electronic voting system cannot be used in Tynwald or the House of Keys, a paper ballot could still be used. Tellers would be appointed who, together with a Clerk, would count the voting slips.

Voting by the Branches in Tynwald Court

In Tynwald Court the Branches vote simultaneously but their votes are counted separately. In most circumstances, the Branches must be in agreement for a Motion to be carried.

In certain circumstances, however, which are laid down in primary legislation and/or Standing Orders, Tynwald votes as one body. These circumstances include:

• elections to office or appointments to public office.[v]
• a Combined Vote called for by the mover of a Motion which has been carried in the Keys but defeated in the Council.[vi] Such a vote must take place at a subsequent sitting.
• where the Minister wishes to proceed with a piece of subordinate legislation which has been referred to the Branches.[vii]

Higher majorities required for particular motions

In most circumstances a motion is carried if a simple majority of the Members present and voting is in favour. However, there are some exceptions:

• in Tynwald Court, a combined vote may be called for by the mover of a motion which has been carried in the Keys but defeated in the Council. When such a vote is held at a subsequent sitting it requires 17 votes.[viii]
• in the House of Keys, a motion that a Bill not passed by the Legislative Council is to be laid before Tynwald for signature requires 17 votes.[ix]
• in the House of Keys, a motion for the withdrawal of a Bill after first reading, or for the third reading of a Bill, requires 13 votes.[x]

Casting votes

In Tynwald Court, when the Branches vote separately:

• if there is an equality of votes in the Keys the motion is lost;[xi]
• if there is an equality of votes in the Council the President has a casting vote but only exercises it to ensure that the vote of the Council is the same as that of the Keys.[xii]

In Tynwald Court, when Tynwald votes as one body (other than by ballot), the President has a casting vote.[xiii]

In the House of Keys the Speaker has a casting vote.[xiv]

In the Legislative Council the President has a casting vote.[xv]

Other than the provisions described above relating to a separate vote in Tynwald Court, Standing Orders are silent on how a casting vote is to be exercised. It is by convention, used either to preserve the status quo or to maintain the possibility of continued debate.

[i] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.18 and 5.3-5.4; Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 3.8; Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 3.18 and 6.2-6.3

[ii] Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 3.18(1)

[iii] Isle of Man Constitution Act 1971

[iv] Certain procedures used to require a secret ballot, including the election of Members to Committees in Tynwald (reformed in February 2018), the election of the President (reformed in February 2018), the nomination of the Chief Minister (reformed when moved to the House of Keys in May 2018); the election of Members of Legislative Council (reformed in April 2017); and the election of Members to Committees of the House of Keys (reformed in March 2018).

[v] Constitution Act 1990, section 2; Standing Orders of Tynwald 9.1, 3.20A

[vi] Isle of Man Constitution Act 1961; Standing Orders of Tynwald 3.19

[vii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 10.9A(2)

[viii] Isle of Man Constitution Act 1961; Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.19

[ix] Constitution Act 2006; Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 4.18-4.20

[x] Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 4.5(2) and 4.11(2)

[xi] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.18(10)

[xii] Constitution Act 1990, section 6; Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.18(11)

[xiii] Constitution Act 1990, section 6

[xiv] Isle of Man Constitution Act 1961; Standing Orders of the House of Keys 3.18(5)

[xv] Constitution Act 1990, section 6

The legislature has a right to consider any public matter. However, in the case of a matter awaiting or under adjudication in Manx legal proceedings, there is a restriction to avoid parliamentary proceedings becoming an alternative forum to the Courts of Justice or any Tribunal, and to ensure that the parliamentary proceedings do not interfere with the operation of those bodies. This restriction is referred to as the sub judice rule.

In Tynwald Court the wording of the sub judice rule was revised in November 2009 when the following definition was adopted:

Sub judice includes any civil case in which papers for the commencement of proceedings have been filed in the office of any court or tribunal, whether or not they have been served on or communicated to the other party or any criminal case where a person has been charged or summoned to appear at court. A case will remain sub judice until it is discontinued, or judgment has been or verdict and sentence have been delivered and until the time for appealing has expired; it will continue to be sub judice after papers for the commencement of any appeal have been lodged until judgment or discontinuance.[i]

The same definition was adopted in the Legislative Council in April 2010 and in the House of Keys in March 2011.[ii]  

There are Standing Orders applying the sub judice principle to Questions, motions, General Debates, laid papers, and Committees.[iii]  A procedural note by the Clerk of Tynwald on the operation of the sub judice principle was published in June 2022.

Committees may not take evidence in public or publish any written or oral evidence on any matter which is sub judice unless authorised to do so by the President.[iv]

[i] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 11.4(1).

[ii] Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 7.2(2); Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 11.6.1.

[iii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 3.4(1), 3.11(4), 320b(8), 5.10(5), 10.9(10), Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 3.4.3(2), 3.11(3); Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 3.6(2).

[iv] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 5.10(5)

Parliamentary privilege refers to certain rights and legal immunities granted to both Tynwald as an institution and individual Members in order to allow them to carry out their parliamentary functions effectively. 

Although Tynwald and its Branches have inherent privileges, some of these have been codified in statute. These include: 

• Section 6A and 6B of the Tynwald Proceedings Act 1876, which were added in 2020. These sections make express provision for the doctrine of exclusive cognisance and the applicability of Article 9 of the Bill of Rights 1688.
• the Privileges of Tynwald (Publications) Act 1973, which provides for a stay of any civil or criminal proceedings commenced in respect of the publication of any report, paper, resolution, or proceedings of Tynwald or either Branch or a Committee;
• the Tynwald Proceedings Act 1984, which provides that anyone giving evidence to Tynwald or its Branches or Committees has the same right or privilege as before the High Court; and that an answer to a question put by Tynwald or its Branches or Committees is not admissible in court; and
• the GDPR and LED Implementing Regulations 2018 (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SD 2021/0099), which amend the principal Regulations by inserting provisions that strengthen Tynwald privilege and thereby enable the Clerk of Tynwald, in appropriate circumstances, to refuse to honour subject access data requests or requests for data portability. The inserted provisions also preclude the Information Commissioner from issuing to the Clerk of Tynwald any of the notices for which the principal Regulations provide, provided the issuing of any such notice would potentially infringe the privileges of Tynwald and its branches.

Business cannot continue in any Chamber if a quorum of Members is not present and if attention has been called to this.[i]

In the House of Keys a quorum is thirteen Members.[ii]

In the Legislative Council sitting alone, a quorum is normally five voting Members. In exceptional circumstances provision exists for it to be reduced to four Members but this has not been used. The President and HM Attorney General do not count towards the quorum.[iii]

In Tynwald Court both Branches must be quorate for business to continue. The quorum of the Keys in Tynwald Court is thirteen. The quorum of the Legislative Council in Tynwald Court is a majority of serving Members who are entitled to vote. When there are no vacancies in the Council there are nine voting Members and the quorum is therefore five. At a March sitting of Tynwald Court immediately following a retirement of four Members of the Legislative Council, the number of serving Members falls to five and the quorum is therefore three.[iv] As the vacancies are filled the number of serving Members increases, and with it the quorum.

[i] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 2.10; Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 2.6

[ii] Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 11.6.1

[iii] Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 3.5(1)-(3)

[iv] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 11.4

The right of an individual to petition Tynwald is said to have existed from the earliest times. A petition procedure is described in an account of Tynwald Day in 1691. By 1900 any petitions had ceased to be considered by Tynwald itself. In 1957 written rules were introduced and the right has been exercised regularly in recent years. Petitions dating back to 1998 can be found here.

The Clerk of Tynwald’s Office issues Guidance for Potential Petitioners, which contains procedural and practical guidance to potential petitioners, including an outline of the recommended format for petitions.

Petitions for Redress

Petitions for Redress, sometimes known as ‘Tynwald Day petitions’, can be presented directly by any member of the public during the annual sitting of Tynwald Court at St. John’s on Tynwald Day. They are handed to the Clerk of Tynwald at the foot of Tynwald Hill and then presented to the Lord of Mann, usually represented by the Lieutenant Governor.

A Petition for Redress lies ‘on the table’ for five years after being presented, during which time it may be picked up by any Member of Tynwald.[i] A Member picking up a Petition for Redress can table a motion relating to the Petition for debate in Tynwald Court. The motion is often that a Select Committee be formed to investigate. The report of such a Select Committee may contain recommendations to address the issue highlighted by the Petition.

Petitions for Redress of Grievance can be used to address a matter of concern to an individual that other avenues for redresse.g. the Courts, have been unable to resolve. It should be noted, however, that neither a Select Committee, nor Tynwald Court, can directly take action on the original case or set of circumstances, nor can it provide compensation. The effect of the procedure is to highlight situations within the purview of Tynwald in which either there are no legislative or administrative provisions in place or existing legislation or administration is inadequate.

After each Tynwald Day, the Standing Orders Committee of Tynwald reports on the Petitions for Redress presented in that year, stating whether or not each Petition is in order. A list of Petitions presented in the previous four years and their current status is also included.

Public Petitions

A Public Petition must be presented by a Member on behalf of a member of the public at a sitting of Tynwald or one of the Branches.[ii] In Tynwald Court when a Public Petition has been laid it may be debated.[iii] In the House of Keys and the Legislative Council, petitions are read rather than debated.[iv]

Private Petitions

A Private Petition is a document presented by a public authority, corporate body, private association, or individual in relation to:

• in Tynwald Court, local or private matters for which the approval, ratification or sanction of Tynwald is required, or for which a resolution of Tynwald is substituted for an Act; and
• in the House of Keys and the Legislative Council, a private Bill.

Formal procedures for the presentation of Private Petitions exist in all three Chambers.[v] The procedures allow for the petition to be presented by the petitioner or their representative, and also for other interested parties to be heard.

This procedure has been used once in Tynwald Court since the 2011 General Election. In July 2014 Tynwald Court heard a Private Petition on behalf of the Churchwardens of the Parish of Arbory and Castletown relating to a compulsory land purchase.[vi]

Memorials[vii]

Formal procedures for the presentation of Memorials exist in all three Chambers.[viii]

A Memorial is a document presented by a person who claims an interest distinct from the interests of the general public which is adversely affected by:

• in Tynwald Court, a motion on the Order Paper;
• in the House of Keys, a Bill for second reading;
• in the Legislative Council, a Bill at any stage.

In summary, the procedures provide that:

• the Memorial is submitted to the Clerk in advance;
• the Presiding Officer makes a determination as to whether the memorialist is entitled to be heard;
• the Chamber as a whole decides whether to hear the memorialist;
• the memorialist is heard, and answers questions;
• the business then continues with the motion or Bill concerned.

[i] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 6.12

[ii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 6.2; Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 7.2–7.6; Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 5.1

[iii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 6.2(3)

[iv] Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 7.4; Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 5.1

[v] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 7.1–7.7; Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 7.7–7.10; Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 5.2

[vi] Debates of the Legislature, T131, 2092-2100

[vii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, VI & VII, 1; Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, V; Standing Orders of the House of Keys VII

[viii] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 8.2–8.4; Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 4.31–4.33 and 7.1; Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, 5.3–5.5

Votes and Proceedings

Votes and Proceedings are the official record made by the Clerk or Secretary of papers laid and decisions made at sittings in each of the three Chambers.

The original motion from the Order Paper is included together with any amendment moved. The record shows whether a motion was approved; if amended how so; or lost. The Votes and Proceedings provide an accurate and easily found statement of the decision reached without having to piece together the wording from lengthy debates in the Official Report.

The votes cast by individual Members are recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.

The Official Report (Hansard)

The Official Report, colloquially known in many Commonwealth parliaments after its historical predecessor in the Westminster Parliament as ‘Hansard’,[i] has existed since the early days of Manx newspapers, from the 1860s. Reports of proceedings provided useful copy to fill editions, though reporting was not always in extenso. The Isle of Man (Weekly) Times reporters were more expert at recording proceedings in shorthand, and their reports were gathered together and published in one volume from 1888. These were subsequently issued each year, covering the parliamentary session from October.

Tape recording of Tynwald was introduced in the 1960s using in-house parliamentary staff, and the use of the Weekly Times was dropped in the 1980s. This ensured the transcripts could now be produced ‘essentially verbatim’. The tapes were sent to a team of home workers for transcription, before in-house staff carried out the editorial process, checking the text against the audio to ensure the text was accurately presented. Finally the Reports were passed for printed publication.

Since October 1997, the Official Reports have been available on the Tynwald website where they are now fully searchable. All transcripts are now published first as the rapidly available Rolling Hansards; these are finally replaced on the website in fully formatted form as Hansards.

The Hansard format has evolved over time, as staff endeavour to improve their services to Members and the public. In 2001-02, priority was given to separate documents for Questions in Tynwald and the House of Keys to speed up their availability. Page numbering and a contents page were introduced to all the Reports, along with a more heavily punctuated style to make them more user-friendly. As technology was updated and working became more efficient, thereby enabling faster production, the Questions were subsequently subsumed back into the main Proceedings. The Early Publications on the website began in 2007-08, providing Hansard more quickly than ever; the Rolling Hansard began in 2009-10. Since then, a single column format with line numbering has also been adopted for the final Proceedings, after positive feedback from some Members on its usefulness.

The published volumes up to 1985-86 each have prepared indices (up to 1932 Reports of Government and Tynwald and the Branches were also included, becoming a separate series in 1933-1965); the Chamber and Information Service has a database of items, questions and motions dating back to 1986.

A print edition of Hansard is no longer produced. However, digital copies of all Hansards dating back to 1887 are available on the Tynwald website. 

In April 2008, a unique voice recognition (VR) system was trialled in Tynwald, which was intended to produce text directly from Members as they spoke. The trials were successful and resulted in much faster availability of transcripts together with significant cost savings, as all work could be done in house beginning minutes after the start of the sittings. Turnaround times for the published Hansard were cut from weeks and months to days, sometimes even hours.

By October 2010, the VR system had been rolled out for use in all three chambers, whereupon the Legislative Council chamber took on a second function as a venue for recorded public oral evidence hearings of committees, in order to make full use of VR.

Since that time, Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), as it is now often referred to, has become ever more widely available. After almost 10 years of successful use, the bespoke VR system was finally retired, as technology had moved on apace. Meanwhile the Hansard team tested various updated ASR solutions, and during 2020 a new bespoke ASR system was built for trial specifically for Tynwald use, thereby opening up further exciting potential developments into the future.

An ASR text is now available to the Hansard editorial team shortly after the end of the sitting. It requires thorough checking and correction against the original audio recording, to ensure accuracy of reporting. Headings, questions, motions, amendments, ballots and voting results are inserted; audible interjections are reported where possible; careful punctuation, paragraphing and correct grammar are applied and some direct repetition is removed; other heavier editing does not take place. The team’s aim is to produce an ‘essentially verbatim’ record, as accurately as possible, while also being a valuable, user-friendly tool to Members and the public.

Tynwald Members can directly help the team’s efficiency by being ‘Hansard aware’, i.e. being aware that the Chambers are effectively live recording studios. The ASR system transcribes clear, measured speech extremely well; it does not work with mumbling or gabbling. The sensitive microphones are permanently live, and will pick up coughs, sneezes, private whispering and conversations, rustling papers, etc., often obliterating a speaker’s words. Speaking notes or written statements are of great help to the editors for the checking process – these can be provided to any Hansard team member, preferably by email.

From 2012 to 2025, the Hansard team also produced transcripts for the parliaments of Gibraltar, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark.

Broadcasting of sittings

In Tynwald Court all proceedings are broadcast in full by Manx Radio on the 1368MW frequency. In the House of Keys, Question Time only is broadcast. No proceedings of the Legislative Council are broadcast.

Tynwald Day has been broadcast on the radio since 1930,[ii] then by BBC Radio and now Manx Radio, and has been streamed worldwide. Coverage is also fed back to large screens in St. John’s during proceedings so everyone attending can see the whole ceremony.

Livestreaming of sittings

All proceedings in Tynwald Court, the House of Keys, and the Legislative Council, as well public oral evidence sessions of Committees, are livestreamed via an audio webcast on the Tynwald website.  The recorded audio is made available soon after the sitting. Public oral evidence sessions of Committees are also video streamed via the Tynwald YouTube channel.

Live updates during sittings and public oral evidence sessions are provided on the Tynwald website.

Social media

Tynwald has a presence on X @tynwaldinfo, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

Admission of visitors on sitting and non-sitting days

Sittings of Tynwald and the Branches are open to the public. Anyone may watch a sitting from the public galleries located in each Chamber.  Access is via the public entrance on Prospect Hill.

The dates of sitting days can be found here. The times are as follows:

Tynwald Court - 3rd Tuesday of each month from 10.00 - 12.30 and 13.30 – 18.30, including a 30 min break around 16.00. Please note that timings are approximate and the sitting may continue later than 18.30 and also into Wednesday and Thursday.

House of Keys - Tuesday (except 3rd in each month) 10.00 - 13.00 and 14.15 - 17.30 or earlier if the business is concluded.

Legislative Council - Tuesday (except 3rd in each month) 10.00 - 17.30 or earlier if the business is concluded.

Order Papers for the sitting(s) in progress are available to the public from the Messengers in the entrance lobby. The public may come and go freely during sittings provided there is no disturbance caused and any rules of conduct which have been issued are followed.

There are regular public tours of the Chambers each week (excluding public holidays) on Monday at 2.00pm, Wednesday at 2.00pm (May – September only) and Friday at 10.00am. It is not usually necessary to book but if you wish to reserve a place you may do so by calling (01624) 685500 or emailing enquiries@tynwald.org.im. There is no charge for tours and they usually take no more than an hour and a half.

It is also possible to pre-book tours at other times, including evenings and weekends. To request this please call or email giving an indication of the requested date, time and number in your party and we will contact you to confirm.  Tours held out of normal office hours will usually incur a fee. 

The Media

Only accredited journalists and other media personnel may film, record, or broadcast within the precincts of Tynwald.  Accreditation is granted by the Clerk of Tynwald, usually for a specified period.  In order to gain accreditation, media representatives should contact the Seneschal on (01624) 685500 or by emailing enquiries@tynwald.org.im in advance of the sitting they wish to cover or for any other filming purposes. 

Tynwald agreed a Code of Conduct for Journalists in January 2017.[iii]  This sets out where accredited journalists may film within the precincts of Tynwald and the standards of behaviour required of them.  The House of Keys adopted the same Code of Conduct in March 2017.[iv]

Accredited journalists have the standing permission of the Presiding Officers to film, record or broadcast sittings of Tynwald and the Branches.  They must however ask the permission of the relevant Committee Chair before filming, recording or broadcasting any public meetings of Committees.  

For security reasons media representatives attending the Tynwald Day Ceremony must be accredited to gain access in and around the Chapel, Hill and Processional Way. The Clerk of Tynwald’s Office should be contacted well in advance on (01624) 685500 or by emailing enquiries@tynwald.org.im.

[i] It is named after Thomas Curson Hansard (1776-1833), who was the first official printer to the parliament at Westminster. 

[ii] Isle of Man Examiner; 4^th July 1930 p.2, 11^th July 1930 p. 4.

[iii] Standing Orders of Tynwald Court, Annex 2.

[iv] Standing Orders of the House of Keys, Annex 1.