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Health Services: Isle of Man

Volume 507: debated on Wednesday 10 March 2010

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will examine the matters raised by the Minister for Health and Social Security of the Isle of Man Government in Tynwald Court on 15 December 2009 in respect of the response of the Department of Health to written requests for information made by the Isle of Man Government on 7 September 2009, repeated on 15 October and 4 November 2009; what his duties are in respect of mediation between the administrations of the Crown Dependencies and Government departments; and if he will make a statement. (321493)

The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the relationship between the UK and the Crown Dependencies and provides the main channel of communication between the UK and the Crown Dependencies.

The termination of the bilateral health agreement and the matters raised by the Isle of Man Minister for Health and Social Security about bilateral health agreements are a matter for the Department of Health. There has been close examination of the issues at ministerial and officer level in my department and in the Department of Health. The Isle of Man Chief Minister has discussed the issue with the Secretary of State for Health and with Lord Bach.

The UK has committed to keep the situation under review with the Isle of Man Government in case of any unforeseen impacts after the end of the agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what reasons his Department has not replied to the letter from the Isle of Man Government sent in 2009 requesting advice on the Isle of Man's wish to negotiate a bilateral health agreement with the Scottish Executive; and if he will make a statement. (321494)

I am not aware of a letter from the Isle of Man Government requesting advice from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) on the Isle of Man's wish to negotiate a bilateral health agreement with the Scottish Executive. I understand that the Isle of Man Department for Health and Social Security has been in contact with the Department of Health and with the Scottish Executive in connection with a new health agreement.

The development of any agreement between the Isle of Man and Scotland would, at this stage, be a matter for their respective administrations.