The Isle of Man Government’s carbon literacy training contract with Earthscope Ltd has ended, but questions over its procurement, funding, and delivery continue to mount. The issue is now being examined on two fronts: through parliamentary questioning in the House of Keys and through formal complaints lodged with oversight bodies by transparency advocate Mark Kemp.
Contract Status and Budget Allocation
DEFA Minister Clare Barber MHK confirmed in the House of Keys that the Earthscope contract concluded in September 2025. This was the first public acknowledgment of its termination, despite DEFA continuing to answer questions about the programme in October without disclosing that the contract had already ended.
Barber explained that the training was funded from the climate change transformation programme’s marketing budget, not the climate change fund.
“The money didn’t come from the climate change fund. It came from the climate change budget within the DEFA revenue budget,” she told members. – Clare Barber MHK
Training Uptake and Accreditation
Figures provided by the Minister show limited uptake across the public sector workforce, estimated at more than 8,000 employees:
- 507 staff undertook the training
- 434 completed both parts
- 251 achieved certification
Barber noted:
“507 public sector staff have undertaken the training across 36 groups of trainees… 251 have achieved carbon literacy certification.”
DEFA funded the first 500 accreditations at £10 per head. Beyond this threshold, individual public bodies are expected to fund their own certifications. Barber added that while accreditation was offered, completion of both training sections was considered sufficient to meet the programme’s requirements, even without certification.
Julie Edge MHK pressed the Minister on whether due diligence and conflict checks would be carried out if the contract were to continue. “Can the Minister give the commitment that any conflicts and the proper due diligence will be carried out on this particular contract if it was to continue?”
Barber did not commit, noting that future delivery models are still under review.
Listen to Julie Edge MHK questioning DEFA Minister Clare Barber MHK in Tynwald this week:
FOI Investigation and Document Access
Parallel to parliamentary scrutiny, campaigner Mark Kemp has pursued disclosure of the Earthscope contract through multiple Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. Kemp says his repeated FOI requests on the Earthscope contract have been met with silence, shifting explanations, and withheld documents—leaving key details of the procurement process still undisclosed.
Kemp has been requesting:
- A signed copy of the contract
- A complete list of bidders
- The scoring breakdown used in evaluation
- Conflict of interest declarations
Despite these requests, DEFA has not released the documents. Kemp reports that officials have claimed some items were “not requested,” though his correspondence shows they were explicitly included.
“Despite multiple FOIs, I have still not received a signed contract, a full list of bidders, a scoring breakdown, or conflict of interest declarations,” Kemp said.
The absence of these records has become a central issue in his complaint to the Information Commissioner.
Shifting Award Dates
Kemp’s investigation highlights inconsistencies in the contract award timeline. DEFA initially stated the contract was awarded on 7 August 2023, later revising this to 21 August, and subsequently to 23 September.
“DEFA originally told me the contract was awarded on 7 August 2023, before any scoring even took place. In the House of Keys, this was corrected to 21 August and later to 23 September,” Kemp explained.
These discrepancies were never clarified in FOI responses and have prompted questions about whether the procurement process was conducted in line with established procedures.
Company Registration and Disclosure
Earthscope Ltd is registered to the home address of Rob Mercer MLC, Chair of Tynwald’s Environment & Infrastructure Policy Review Committee. The company’s directors are Mercer’s daughter Sarah and her partner Matthew Warren. This connection has not been declared in the Members’ Interests Register. Mercer has stated that the relationship was disclosed via a “related party transaction” in government financial statements, but this method of disclosure does not appear in the public-facing register.
Response Framing
In correspondence with Kemp, DEFA’s Chief Executive asked him to clarify “what influence” he believed Mercer had on the process. Kemp responded:
“I’m not accusing anyone. I’m asking for documents the public is entitled to.” – Mark Kemp
Transparency advocates note that such framing risks redirecting legitimate scrutiny into a personal context, potentially discouraging further inquiry.
Escalation to Oversight Bodies
Kemp has referred the matter to three oversight authorities:
- The Information Commissioner, for transparency and FOI compliance
- Treasury Procurement, for review of the Quick Quote method used
- The Auditor General, for a value-for-money and compliance investigation
Broader Implications
The Earthscope contract now sits at the intersection of parliamentary questioning and independent investigation. With only 251 certified staff out of a workforce of more than 8,000, and with key procurement documents still withheld, the case continues to raise questions about transparency, accountability, and the application of procurement rules in government.
Kemp summarised the wider stakes:
“This is about whether taxpayers can trust that rules are being applied fairly, that public money is being spent wisely, and that public officials are accountable.” – Mark Kemp
