An emergency question will be tabled during today’s sitting of the House of Keys on the decision to cancel the Isle of Man Food and Drink Festival.

Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse will ask Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture Clare Barber what factors led to the festival’s cancellation, what alternatives will be made available to help producers showcase their produce and make up for the loss in sales.

The annual festival, which has been held for 15 years, was due to take place over the weekend of September 14 and 15 in the Villa Marina Gardens and businesses say they will lose out up to £5,000 in business.

There will be 21 oral questions in all with other issues covered including the assisted dying debate, whether food hygiene ratings will be introduced, windfarms, the Steam Packet and the number of student expulsions and suspensions.

This will be the last official sitting before the House of Keys breaks for the summer although provisional dates have been set aside for further sittings to complete the order paper which includes a large number of amendments to be discussed on the Assisted Dying Bill.

The sitting will start at 10am.