Tynwald has voted against debating the Mandate for Manx Care until next month when members will be able to vote on a motion that could see it thrown out.
Members backed Lawrie Hooper’s bid to derail the planned general debate which would not have allowed members to accept or refuse planned health cuts set out in the mandate and operating plan.
Tynwald had been due to debate the mandate, but due to a timing issue, it had not made the order paper and therefore required members’ support to allow it to be taken.
To suspend this, it would have required 16 MHKs to vote for it., but only received 14 votes from those present.
Mr Hooper said that the mandate “represents a sizeable shift away from what we are used to seeing”.
Adding: “It is a massive change to the way services are delivered so I believe Tynwald members should be entitled not just to a debate but a vote on the mandate.”
Mr Hooper has tabled a motion for April’s sitting that will directly challenge the mandate as it currently is set out.
The Lib Vannin leader will ask members to support the replacing the mandate and plan with ones that “do not place such significant restrictions and curtailments on frontline services”.
Public
Julie Edge (Onchan) told members: “I have had a lot of representation about it, because the public are not happy with it and certainly we will not have a say today, with a vote, we will have a say, and you’ll listen, but you’re not going to change anything.”
Ministers
Several ministers tried to sway the House to debate the issue, including Dr Alex Allinson.
He said they risked saying to the public that “this is such an important issue that’s been talked about intensely for the last two weeks, but we, as Tynwald, will not discuss it”.
Chief Minister Alf Cannan added: “It will be interesting next month, because the law, the primary law is very clear that the mandate shall be laid before Tynwald. That is what the law says, right?
“So if Tynwald then choose that they want to approve mandates, they will clearly be conflicting that approval with the law, it sounds to me like not even want to approve it, but amend it.
“If that’s the way that Tynwald wants to go, then that clearly will be part of the debate next month.”
Mr Cannan said this risked changing “the whole ethos and fundamentals around the relationship between DHSC and Manx Care”.
He added: “Now I’ll be straight. I’m well open to discussing that.”
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