Roles of Members & Officers
The High Court of Tynwald has thirty five members comprised of all of the members of the House of Keys and the Legislative Council.
The President of Tynwald, elected from the Members of Tynwald, presides over Tynwald.
The Legislative Council has eleven members. In addition to The President, who presides, there are eight members elected by the House of Keys who serve alongside the Bishop of Sodor and Mann, all of whom may vote, and the Attorney General who may not vote.
The House of Keys has twenty four members elected by the citizens of the Isle of Man every five years. The Presiding Officer is the Speaker of the House of Keys who is elected from the Members after each general election.
The Members of the Legislature are supported in their work by the staff of the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office whose offices in Legislative Buildings on Finch Road in Douglas adjoin the Chambers. The Clerk of Tynwald and staff of the office support and promote the work of Tynwald and assist its Members to carry out their public functions as Members of Tynwald.
Tynwald Court
President of Tynwald:
Deputy President of Tynwald:
Clerk of Tynwald:
Deputy Clerk of Tynwald:
Registrar of Members' Interests:
Legislative Council
President of Tynwald (ex officio)
Clerk of the Council:
The Hon Juan Watterson BA (Hons) BFP FCA CMgr FCMI FRSA MLC
House of Keys
Speaker of the House:
Deputy Speaker of the House:
Secretary of the House & Counsel to the Speaker:
Chaplain of the House:
Office of the Clerk of Tynwald
Clerks
Clerk of Tynwald, Secretary of the House of Keys & Counsel to the Speaker, Registrar of Members' Interests:
Deputy Clerk and Clerk to the Legislative Council:
Legislative Services
Head of Legislative Services:
Table, Hansard and Publications
Table, Hansard and Publications Manager:
Table, Hansard and Publications Executives:
Table, Hansard and Publications Officer:
Mr C August-Phillips LLB MCIPR
.
Mr A Cooke
Mr T Whitelegg
Mr J Gibney BA(Hons) MSt
Miss L P Ray NCE BA(Hons)
Ms D K Smith BSc(Hons)
Miss P Wilkins
Ms S L Kanes
Research and Scrutiny Support
Research and Scrutiny Support Manager:
Research and Scrutiny Support Executives:
Research and Scrutiny Support Officers:
Parliamentary Intern:
Miss F Gale BA(Hons) MPhil
Dr N Corlett BA(Hons) MA PhD
Miss E Duncan BA(Hons)
Mrs H Peet
Mrs K Tomlinson
Miss E Mellors BA(Hons) MSc
Corporate and Engagement Service:
Head of Corporate and Engagement Service:
Corporate Services
Corporate Services Manager:
Corporate Services Executive Officer
Corporate Services Officers:
HR Support and Development Officer:
Tynwald Seneschal:
Messengers/Security Guards
(Gardyn Coadee)
Standby Messengers:
Mrs R Donnelly BA(Hons)
Ms L E Trimble
Mrs H Tasker
Miss J Lowe
Mrs H Taggart
Vacant
Ms C Greggor
Mr R Lawrence
Mrs S Moore
Mr M Watterson
Mr D Allcock
Engagement Services
Engagement Services Manager:
Engagement Services Executive:
Engagement Services Officer:
Engagement Services Assistants:
Mrs N Murray
Ms Robyn Hughes
Ms S Vote
Mrs J Brodie
Mrs A Underhill
Other Officers:
Yn Lhaidher (The Reader): Mr R Carswell RBV
Clerk of Tynwald
Jonathan KING LLB MA DPhil LRSM
Clerk of Tynwald, Secretary to the House of Keys and Counsel to the Speaker
Contact Tel: 01624 686303 Email: j.king@tynwald.org.im
Parliamentary Career
Jonathan took up the post of Clerk of Tynwald, Secretary to the House of Keys and Counsel to the Speaker in September 2021.
Jonathan King has responsibility for delivering parliamentary services including procedural advice and drafting; committee secretariat functions; reporting and information management including audio streaming, Hansard and library functions; ceremonies and events; and engagement and outreach both international and domestic.
Jonathan has served as Deputy Clerk of Tynwald and Clerk of the Legislative Council, 2007 to 2021; Clerk of the Public Accounts Committee, 2007 to 2016; Clerk of the Social Affairs Policy Review Committee, 2011 to 2021; Clerk of the Economic Policy Review Committee, 2016 to date; and Clerk of the Emoluments Committee, 2008 to 2021. He has managed committee inquiries on a wide range of social, economic, environmental, legal and financial issues.
Jonathan has delivered training in parliamentary law and practice to Isle of Man civil servants and trainee Manx advocates, and in parliamentary history through University College Isle of Man. He is an active participant in interparliamentary networks including the UK and Irish parliamentary and assembly officers network and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, with whom he has delivered knowledge sharing and capacity building programmes in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and West Africa.
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
Isle of Man Branch Hon Secretary 2021 to date.
Personal
Education: Campbell College, Belfast; Emmanuel College, Cambridge: MA Hons degree in music; Wadham College, Oxford: DPhil in medieval music; Open University: Bachelor of Laws (Hons)
Career: Postdoctoral research fellow, Royal Holloway University of London, 1996-97; Peripatetic violin teacher, London, 1996-97; Member of editorial team, New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1996-98; UK civil servant, 1998-2007: Various roles in Home Office, Cabinet Office and Ministry of Justice including responsibilities in criminal policy and legislation, prisons and probation, drugs, immigration and asylum.
Deputy Clerk of Tynwald
Joann CORKISH, LLB MCMI CMgr FRSA
Deputy Clerk of Tynwald and Clerk of the Legislative Council
Contact Tel: 01624 685511 Email: j.corkish@tynwald.org.im
Parliamentary Career
Jo has responsibility for delivering procedural advice and drafting services to parliamentary Chambers and Committees, and in managing Committee inquiries. She supports the Clerk in leading delivery and development across the full range of the Office’s services to Members and the public.
Jo joined the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office in 2009 as Head of Chamber and Information Service, a post she held until 2014. After a year’s secondment as Change and Reform Program Manager in Isle of Man Government’s Cabinet Office she returned to take up the role of Third Clerk of Tynwald before being appointed to her current role in 2021.
Jo has been Clerk to the Public Accounts Committee since 2016; she also currently clerks the Social Affairs Policy Review Committee and the Select Committee on Poverty alongside some procedural committees. Throughout her time in the Office she has had a number of opportunities to engage more widely with those in other legislatures and interparliamentary networks. She particularly enjoys working to support other small parliaments working with different organisations including the CPA UK Overseas Territories project for which she has undertaken in-country placements in Montserrat, the Falkland Islands, Anguilla and the BVI.
Personal
Education: Studied Stage Management at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London; Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership (Level 7) Chartered Management Institute; in 2018 I completed the International Professional Development Program for Parliamentary Staff with McGill University, Canada and in 2022 I completed an LLB.
Career: Various finance sector roles 1992-2006; Royal Skandia, Business Analyst 2006-08; Intelligence Ltd, Consultant Project Manager, 2008-2009; Clerk of Tynwald's Office 2009-date, including a year seconded to the Isle of Man Government Cabinet Office as Change and Reform Programme Lead
More information about the Office
Published September 2016; updated January 2023
THE CLERK OF TYNWALD'S OFFICE
The Clerk of Tynwald’s Office provides services to Tynwald Court and the Branches. Details of the work of each team, including the particular services available to Members and, where applicable, staff of the Isle of Man Government and the general public, are set out below.
Since January 2022, the Office has been re-organised based on function.
Information about the new structure is provided below.
To contact the Office: https://tynwald.im/contact-us
a. The Clerks
There are two full-time Clerks. In addition to their work in Tynwald Court and the Branches, set out in the respective chapters of this Companion, each has specific management responsibilities in the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald. This information, along with a short biography of the current postholder, is set out below.
Clerk of Tynwald, Secretary of the House of Keys and Counsel to the Speaker
The post of Clerk of Tynwald is held concurrently with that of Secretary of the House of Keys and Counsel to the Speaker, and both offices are held ‘during pleasure’. As Clerk, the postholder assists the President in organising the business of Tynwald; as Secretary of the House, the postholder assists the Speaker in organising the business of the Keys. The particular duties undertaken in the House of Keys and Tynwald are described in the respective chapters of this Companion.
The postholder is also the head of the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office and is responsible for the facilities, secretariat, and staffing of the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald and Legislative Precincts. The postholder reports to and is responsible for ensuring that the decisions of the Management Committee of Tynwald are implemented. The postholder is also Accounting Officer for Tynwald and its Branches.
The current postholder is Dr Jonathan King LLB MA DPhil LRSM, who was appointed in 2021.
KING, Jonathan, LLB MA DPhil LRSM
Tel: 01624 686303
Email: j.king@tynwald.org.im
Deputy Clerk and Clerk of the Legislative Council
The positions of Deputy Clerk of Tynwald and Clerk of the Legislative Council are held concurrently, the former being held ‘during pleasure’; the postholder is also Deputy Secretary of the House of Keys. As Clerk of the Council, the postholder assists the President in organising the business of the Legislative Council. In the other two Chambers the postholder deputises for the Clerk of Tynwald and Secretary of the House of Keys. The particular duties undertaken in each Chamber are detailed in the respective chapters of this Companion.
The postholder also assists and deputises for the Clerk of Tynwald with regard to the management of the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office.
The present Deputy Clerk of Tynwald and Clerk of the Legislative Council is Joann Corkish, who was appointed in 2021.
CORKISH, Joann, CMgr MCMI FRSA
Tel: 01624 685511
Email: j.corkish@tynwald.org.im
b. Legislative Services
Legislative Services are those directly in support of the functions of the legislature, which are primarily:
- Chamber work: providing procedural advice to presiding officers, Members, witnesses and petitioners; preparing and publishing Order Papers, Question Papers, Votes and Proceedings, Hansard, Bills, secondary legislation and other papers laid before Tynwald, including Standing Orders;
- Committee work: providing procedural advice to Members, chairs and witnesses; preparation of minutes, agendas and reports;
- Parliamentary research: demand-led research and information services in response to requests from Members and Committees; proactive research.
Head of Legislative Services
The Head of Legislative Services is responsible for the delivery of all legislative services and is accountable to the Clerk and Deputy Clerk. The present postholder is Carlos Phillips.
PHILLIPS, Carlos, LLB, MCIPR
Tel: 01624 685510
Email: c.phillips@tynwald.org.im
i. Table and Publications Office
This Office provides administrative support for sittings, parliamentary publications, and the delivery of the Official Report (Hansard), as well as support for the procedural Committees of Tynwald and the Branches.
The team can assist with queries about:
• Tabling Questions and Motions in Tynwald and the Branches;
• Submitting items to the Register of Business;
• Hansard;
• The Listen Live and Again service.
Contact
Table and Chamber queries: table@tynwald.org.im
Hansard queries: hansard@tynwald.org.im
ii. Research and Scrutiny Support Office
This Office provides high quality, accurate and politically impartial research, analysis and information to individual Members, Committees, and Clerk of Tynwald’s Office staff. The team also supports the clerking of the scrutiny Committees and provides administrative support for all Committees of Tynwald and the Branches.
Contact
Research queries: research@tynwald.org.im
Committee queries: committees@tynwald.org.im
c. Corporate and Engagement Services
Corporate and Engagement Services are those functions which keep legislative services running and explain them to others. These include finance, HR, information management (including FOI and Data Protection), and facilities and asset management; and conferences and events, outreach and education services, and public information services.
i. Head of Corporate and Engagement Services
The Head of Corporate and Engagement Services is responsible for the delivery of all corporate and engagement services and is accountable to the Clerk and Deputy Clerk. The present postholder is Ruth Donnelly.
DONNELLY, Ruth, BA Hons
Tel: 01624 685764
Email: r.donnelly@tynwald.org.im
i. Corporate Services Office
This Office is responsible for the administrative, operational and governance functions of Tynwald providing services for Members and officers. The team’s primary roles are managing information systems, financial operations, human resources, estate management, information governance, safeguarding and health and safety.
The Seneschal, who is part of the Corporate Services Office, manages the Messengers and Security Guards (Gardyn Coadee) and has overall responsibility for the fabric of the Legislative Buildings.Although Seneschal is an historic title, the present role dates from 2006 and continues to evolve. The Messengers and Security Guards control public access to the Legislative Buildings during sittings, distribute papers, and do any other work as required.
Contact
enquiries@tynwald.org.im
foi@tynwald.org.im
ii. Engagement Services Office
This Office is responsible for managing the internal and outward facing activities of Tynwald and the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald. The team focuses on delivering outreach events as part of an annual events programme; supporting inter-parliamentary activities; relationship building, and developing opportunities to strengthen engagement with Tynwald.
Contact
enquiries@tynwald.org.im
d. Parliamentary Interns
In 2014 the position of Parliamentary Intern was created. The primary aim of this role is to provide experience of the workings of a modern parliament for the intern, but also for him or her to spread understanding of Tynwald in the wider community, for instance though a monthly blog, and school visits. The intern is recruited on a fixed-term annual basis. The position has been held by:
2014-2015 Amelia Quinn
2015-2016 Nicola Cowsill
2016 Charlie Shimmins
2017 Alex McQuarrie
2017-2018 Samantha Kenny
2018-2019 Benjamin Awkal and Emma Gaines
2019-2020 Inge Perry and Peter Smith
2020-2021 Kieran Skehan
2021-2022 Aiza Khan
2021 Cameron Byrne
2021-2022 Sam Bowers
2022 James Holmes
2022-2023 Anya Dawson, Anna Hardman and Erynn Rainney
2023-2024 Theodora Karezi
2024 Ieisha Howard
2024-2025 Emma Sutton
2025-2026 Emma Mellors and Holly MacRae
[1] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 9.2(1) and Standing Orders of the House of Keys, 9.3.1
[2] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 9.3 (1)
[3] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 2.1(3)(b)
[4] Standing Orders of Tynwald, 2.1(3)(e)
Officer HR Policies
As a separate employer, the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office is not bound by the decisions of the Public Services Commission. The Clerk of Tynwald makes decisions relating to staff of the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald. All HR policies applicable to Clerk of Tynwald’s Office staff can be found below: