Former Chief Ministers Tony Brown and Howard Quayle have raised concerns over the Treasury’s outsized influence, calling for legislative changes to rebalance power.
Speaking at a Tynwald committee hearing, Mr Quayle argued that the Treasury’s control over budgets could “hijack government policy,” particularly when ministers disagreed with spending priorities.
While he did not address this towards his successor, it is worth remembering who his Treasury Minister was.
“You could have Treasury members who had, maybe their own personal view, who could hijack government policy,” he said. “Short of sacking the entire department, Treasury had an inordinate amount of power.”
Concerns
Mr. Brown echoed these concerns, stating that the Treasury Act—dating back to 1985—was outdated and needed reform.
“The Treasury Act is outdated. It needs amending for the very reasons Howard said… the Treasury are not alone anymore,” he said.
He recalled clashes where Treasury officials would question departmental budgets while setting their own without scrutiny.
Both former leaders agreed that while Treasury oversight was necessary to prevent reckless spending, the current system stifled cross-departmental collaboration.
Mr Quayle cited examples where joint initiatives—such as children’s services—were hampered because funding decisions rested solely with Treasury. “It would have been far more efficient to give the Council of Ministers more financial power to enable departments… to work for a better good.”
Mr. Brown warned that without reform, the Treasury’s financial gatekeeping could overshadow policy goals. “Finance is more important than service. To me, service is more important than finance, but you have to be able to afford what you do.”
5 Comments