Council of Ministers of the Isle of Man

The Council of Ministers (Manx: Coonseil ny Shirveishee; often abbreviated informally to "CoMin") is the principal executive organ of the Isle of Man Government. Its role is similar to, though not identical with, that of the Cabinet in the United Kingdom. Until 1990, its title was the Executive Council.

The Executive Council, chaired by the Lieutenant Governor and including members of Tynwald, was established in 1949, and gradually thereafter became the effective government of the Island. The Lieutenant Governor ceased to chair the Executive Council in 1980, being replaced by a chairman elected by Tynwald,^[1] and the Council was reconstituted in 1985 to include the chairmen of the eight principal boards of Tynwald;^[2] in 1986, they were given the title Minister and the chairman was styled Chief Minister.^[3] In 1990, the Council was renamed the Council of Ministers.^[4]

The Council of Ministers consists of the Chief Minister and not more than nine ministers. The Chief Minister must be a Member of the House of Keys^[5] and ministers must be members of Tynwald. Originally, the Chief Minister was appointed by the Lieutenant Governor on the nomination of Tynwald. On 20 March 2018^[5] this changed so that the Chief Minister is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor on the nomination of and from among the members of House of Keys, as it is the directly elected chamber. Ministers are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, acting on the advice of and with the concurrence of the Chief Minister.^[4] The Chief Minister assigns a minister to each department of the Isle of Man Government.^[4] The Council of Ministers must command the confidence of 16 members of the House of Keys.^[4]

Current membership

• Chief Minister (Ard-shirveishagh) – Alfred Cannan MHK
• Minister for the Cabinet Office (Shirveishagh son Oik Coonceil ny Shirveishee) - David Ashford MHK
• Minister for Education, Sport and Culture (Shirveishagh son Ynsee, Spoyrt as Cultoor) – Daphne Caine MHK
• Minister for Enterprise (Shirveishagh son Gostid Dellal) – Tim Johnston MHK
• Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture (Shirveishagh son Chymmyltaght, Bee as Eirinys) – Clare Barber MHK
• Minister for Health and Social Care (Shirveishagh son Slaynt as Kiarail y Theay) – Claire Christian MHK
• Minister for Justice and Home Affairs (Shirveishagh son Jeerys as Cooishyn Sthie) – Jane Poole-Wilson MHK
• Minister for Infrastructure (Shirveishagh son Bun-troggalys) – Michelle Haywood MHK
• Minister for the Treasury (Shirveishagh Tashtee) – Alex Allinson MHK
• [Minister without portfolio] Tim Crookall MHK

Current and historical composition of Council of Ministers / Executive Council

Structure of the Council of Ministers effective from 1 April 2014

From	Chief Minister	Minister for
		the Cabinet Office[a]	Enterprise[b]	Education, Sport and Culture[c]	Environment, Food and Agriculture	Health and Social Care	Justice and Home Affairs[d]	Infrastructure	Policy and Reform	the Treasury
16/10/2024[10]	Alfred Cannan MHK[11]	Kate Lord-Brennan MHK	Tim Johnston MHK	Daphne Caine MHK	Clare Barber MHK	Alfred Cannan MHK	Jane Poole-Wilson MHK	Tim Crookall MHK	N/A	Alex Allinson MHK[12]
21/02/2024[13]						Lawrie Hooper MHK[14]
11/09/2023[15]				Julie Edge MHK
17/07/2023[16]								Alfred Cannan MHK
14/02/2023[17]								Chris Thomas MHK
10/11/2022[18]			Lawrie Hooper MHK[19]
16/09/2022[20]						Rob Callister MHK[19]
19/07/2022[21]			Alfred Cannan MHK[22]			Lawrie Hooper MHK
14/06/2022[23]			Tim Crookall MHK[24]
20/05/2022[25]			Alfred Cannan MHK					Tim Crookall MHK
15/10/2021			Alex Allinson MHK							David Ashford MHK
12/10/2021[11]		Howard Quayle MHK	Howard Quayle MHK	Alex Allinson MHK	Geoffrey Boot MHK	David Ashford MHK	Graham Cregeen MHK	Tim Baker MHK	Ray Harmer MHK	Alfred Cannan MHK
20/07/2021[26]	Howard Quayle MHK
03/06/2020[27]			Laurence Skelly MHK
27/05/2020[28]								Ray Harmer MHK	Vacant
03/03/2020									Chris Thomas MHK
21/02/2020				Graham Cregeen MHK			David Ashford MHK[e]
08/01/2018[30]							Bill Malarkey MHK
13/10/2016[31]						Kate Beecroft MHK
10/10/2016[31]					Richard Ronan MHK
07/10/2016[31]						Howard Quayle MHK
04/10/2016[32]				Tim Crookall MLC [f]			John Shimmin MHK	Phil Gawne MHK	John Shimmin MHK	Eddie Teare MHK
28/09/2016[34]	Allan Bell MHK	Allan Bell MHK
01/01/2016[35]							Juan Watterson MHK
16/02/2015[g]		—
02/07/2014[36]									Chris Robertshaw MHK[g]
19/06/2014[37]			Allan Bell MHK		Phil Gawne MHK			Laurence Skelly MHK
01/04/2014[38]			John Shimmin MHK

1. The Cabinet Office was legally established on 1 January 2016^[6] and requires a Minister under the Government Departments Act 1987.^[7]
2. Formerly the Department of Economic Development - renamed the Department for Enterprise, with various functions transferred on 24 November 2017.^[8]
3. Formerly the Department of Education and Children - renamed the Department of Education, Sport and Culture, with various functions transferred on 24 November 2017.^[8]
4. The title of the Minister for Home Affairs was changed to Minister for Justice and Home Affairs on 1 December 2020^[9]
5. This was an interim appointment following the death of Bill Malarkey MHK.^[29]
6. Elevated from the House of Keys to the Legislative Council in June 2015.^[33]
7. No Assignment of Ministers Instrument required as the Minister for Policy and Reform is not assigned to a Government department under the Council of Ministers Act 1990.^[4]

Structure of the Council of Ministers from 1 April 2010 – 31 March 2014

From	Chief Minister	Minister for
		Community, Culture and Leisure	Economic Development	Education and Children	Environment, Food and Agriculture	Health	Home Affairs	Infrastructure	Social Care	the Treasury
03/03/2014	Allan Bell MHK	Chris Robertshaw MHK	John Shimmin MHK	Tim Crookall MHK	Phil Gawne MHK	Howard Quayle MHK	Juan Watterson MHK	Laurence Skelly MHK	Howard Quayle MHK	Eddie Teare MHK
13/09/2012		Graham Cregeen MHK				David Anderson MHK		David Cretney MHK	Chris Robertshaw MHK
03/09/2012							John Shimmin MHK
12/07/2012							Juan Watterson MHK
20/06/2012		Tim Crookall MHK		David Anderson MHK
14/10/2011				Peter Karran MHK
11/10/2011		David Cretney MHK	Allan Bell MHK	Eddie Teare MHK	John Shimmin MHK		Adrian Earnshaw MHK	Phil Gawne MHK	Martyn Quayle MHK	Anne Craine MHK
01/04/2010	Tony Brown MHK

1. ^ This was a temporary appointment and Juan Watterson MHK remained a non-assigned minister during the period between 3 and 12 September 2012.
2. ^ This was an interim appointment following the dismissal of Peter Karran MHK.

Structure of the Executive Council / Council of Ministers from 16 December 1986 – 31 March 2010

[a]	Chief Minister	Minister for
		Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry	Education	Health and Social Security	Home Affairs	Local Government and Environment	Trade and Industry[b]	Transport[c]	the Treasury	Tourism and Leisure[d]
11/08/2008	Tony Brown MHK	Phil Gawne MHK	Anne Craine MHK	Eddie Teare MHK	Adrian Earnshaw MHK	John Shimmin MHK	David Cretney MHK	David Anderson MHK	Allan Bell MHK	Martyn Quayle MHK
15/12/2006					Martyn Quayle MHK					Adrian Earnshaw MHK
01/08/2005	Donald Gelling MLC		David Anderson MHK	Steve Rodan MHK	John Shimmin MHK	John Rimmington MHK	Alex Downie MHK	Phil Braidwood MHK		David Cretney MHK
14/12/2004		Bill Henderson MHK			Phil Braidwood MHK			John Shimmin MHK
30/06/2004	Richard Corkill MHK
06/12/2001		John Rimmington MHK	Steve Rodan MHK	Clare Christian MLC		Pam Crowe MLC[e]
04/12/2001		Alex Downie MHK			Allan Bell MHK	Walter Gilbey MHK	David North MHK	Tony Brown MHK	Richard Corkill MHK
12/05/1999	Donald Gelling MHK
06/12/1996		Hazel Hannan	Edgar Mann MLC			Edgar Quine MHK
06/08/1996	Miles Walker MHK		Noel Cringle MHK	Bernie May MHK	Richard Corkill MHK	Terry Groves MHK	Allan Bell MHK	David North MHK	Donald Gelling MHK	Tony Brown MHK
18/07/1996							Miles Walker MHK
14/12/1995							Edmund Lowey MLC
13/03/1995		John Corrin MHK	Hazel Hannan MHK
11/10/1994					Arnold Callin MLC
13/10/1992						Tony Brown MHK				Allan Bell MHK
18/12/1991							Allan Bell MHK
29/10/1990		David North MHK	Ron Cretney MHK	Jim Cain MHK	Edmund Lowey MLC		Bernie May MHK	Arnold Callin MLC
19/12/1989			Victor Kneale MHK
27/04/1988		Donald Gelling MHK		Tony Brown MHK		Dominic Delaney MHK			David Cannan MHK
16/12/1986		Donald Maddrell MHK					Ian Anderson MLC

1. Prior to 1 October 1990 the Council of Ministers was called the Executive Council.^[4]
2. Formerly the Department of Industry - renamed the Department of Trade and Industry on 1 July 1996 (?).^[39]
3. Formerly Department of Highways, Ports and Properties - renamed Department of Transport on 1 January 1995 (?),^[40] with the Department's properties function transferring to the Department of Local Government and the Environment.^[41]
4. Formerly Department of Tourism and Transport - renamed Department of Tourism, Leisure and Transport on 1 October 1990 (?),^[42] and again renamed the Department of Tourism and Leisure on 1 January 1995 (?).^[43]
5. Elevated from the House of Keys to the Legislative Council in 2003.

See also

• Executive Council (Commonwealth countries)
• Executive Council of the Isle of Man
• Isle of Man Government