The DHSC transferred £4.3 million to Manx Care without Tynwald approval and without any board meeting decision, a Public Accounts Committee hearing has heard.
The payment was made between the February 2025 budget setting and the publication of the operating plan in March.
Lawrie Hooper pressed Minister Claire Christian on how the transfer was authorised, given the department had already asked Tynwald to approve a £357 million budget for Manx Care.
She said: “The process that we have followed within the department was towards the end of this year where this happened.
“Manx Care came forward with business cases to the department, and that would go through the department meeting, and we would evaluate which of those we would allocate funding to from the department.”
HOW?
When Mr Hooper asked specifically about the £4.3m transfer, the minister admitted she did not know how it was authorised.
“As I said, I’ll have to go back to finding out how Paul Richardson authorised that, but I don’t have that information,” she said.
Mr Hooper then asked if a board meeting had taken place. Ms Christian replied: “Didn’t happen.”
Mr Hooper then observed: “Okay, so there isn’t a paper trail that backs up how that money was.”
The minister responded: “I would be grateful if there is anything, if you go back absolutely.”
The committee has requested any documentation that may exist relating to the transfer.