Government needs to improve its communications and challenge ‘disinformation’, the Chief Minister has told Tynwald members.

Alfred Cannan said an on-island based expert had been contracted to support efforts to improve effective engagement with the community.

He was responding to a Tynwald question from Douglas Central MHK Chris Thomas who asked whether a review of government communications is needed - and if so, what the terms of reference would be, and how any review would be procured and undertaken.

It is understood that Craig Tregurtha, former group managing editor of the Times and Sunday Times, is the industry expert who has been brought in.

Mr Tregurtha stepped down from his role at News UK in 2022 and now lives in the island.

In a written reply published on the Tynwald website, Mr Cannan said a formal external review was not planned.

But he said improvements did need to be made - and the aim was to improve the approach over the next 12 months.

He said: ‘We are actively working to improve how the Isle of Man Government engages effectively at all levels of our community.

‘This is seen as a priority area due to the popularity of social media and to enable the government to address and challenge misinformation and disinformation placed in the public domain.

‘Advice and guidance to enable continued improvement has been provided since April 2024 to help align the aims and priorities of the administration with the resources available.

‘This process is being supported on a part-time and limited-term basis by a contracted expert who is based on the island and is in a position to assess objectively the processes currently in place - and how better outcomes might be achieved.

‘A focus is being placed on improving our approach over the next 12 months. A formal, external review at additional expense is therefore not planned at this time.’

A centralised government communication service was set up in 2014 and there is currently a team of five officers employed in the media centre dealing with inquiries about most government departments.

Media inquiries to the Department for Enterprise, Manx Care, Manx Utilities and Isle of Man Post Office are dealt with by communication and PR officers in those respective departments and boards.

Mr Cannan said the centralised media team based in the Cabinet Office supports Ministers and departments on a wide range of public relations, media and communications issues.

He said communications activities are also undertaken throughout the organisation by those who are not part of the media centre – by communications professionals, senior service leaders and politicians, alongside the everyday interactions of community-facing staff.

‘In all cases, engagement with the public and stakeholders aims to be clear, concise, accessible and respectful,’ he said.

Before the media team was set up, central government employed a single press officer and most media inquiries were dealt with by the chief officers in the respective departments.

Mr Thomas told the Manx Independent that he wanted to know what the terms of reference were of the industry expert who had been appointed and what was the cost.