FEW casual observers would use the term ‘electrifying’ in the context of regulatory reform.

But that is precisely the word on everyone’s lips in the wake of the latest development in the UK Government’s proposals for banking reform.

On February 4 HM Treasury published the Banking Reform Bill.

This represents the latest step in the UK Government’s plans to reform the banking sector and follows on from the recommendations of the Independent Commission on Banking (ICB) in 2011 and HM Treasury’s White Paper and draft Bill issued in 2012.

Many of the themes contained within the new Bill are consistent with those earlier publications.

A key focus remains on trying to ensure that taxpayers will never again be called upon to bail the banks out.

However, a key development within the Banking Reform Bill is the inclusion of a recommendation made by the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards in December 2012 that the ring-fence between the core retail operations and the higher risk investment banking-style operations should be ‘electrified’.

The Commission suggested that banks could not be trusted and that strong disincentives need to be put in place to discourage banks from ignoring the rules.

Under the latest proposals, the new prudential regulator in the UK would be given powers to enforce full separation of retail and non-retail banking operations if the ring fence is not adequately effected.

This development represents a significant ‘U-turn’ by Chancellor George Osborne, who had previously cautioned the Commission against “unpicking the consensus” on whether there needed to be a complete separation of retail and investment banking operations.

Whilst many will welcome a further tightening of the proposals for reform, such measures have not met with universal approval. The Chief Executive of the British Bankers’ Association described them as ‘good politics but bad business’. In particular, there are concerns that it will be even more difficult for banks to lend money and will create increased uncertainty for investors in banks.

The effectiveness of the ring-fencing proposals and the impact on banks business models, together with the wider economy, remains unproven. In the case of Northern Rock, for example, it is difficult to see how the ring fencing proposals would have made any difference to the ultimate outcome. The debate around the reform proposals will inevitably continue as the Bill passes through the next stages of the legislative process.

This debate may not be electrifying, but there may be some shocks to the system.

PEDESTRIANS in Union Mills will soon be able to cross the road more safely once the new refuge in the centre of the road is complete.

The island, opposite the Spar shop will allow pedestrians to cross the road half way at a time making it much easier during busy periods.

Middle MHK Howard Quayle said he was pleased with the move and had campaigned for some time for it.

‘I have been working on this since I was elected,’ he said.

‘It is something the locals have wanted in Union Mills for some time. The traffic can move quickly there and someone has been knocked over in the past.’

He said it was a main route in and out of Douglas and passengers returning by bus from Douglas have to cross at that point to reach many of the village’s houses.

‘This has been a major concern,’ he said.

‘The commissioners have paid for a car park now at the side of the Spar shop and so we then worked with Highways to put in a crossing. The whole idea was to make it safer.’

He said they had examined the possibility of using a pelican crossing at that point but it presented several difficulties. One was the space which was too limited for the required distances between the crossing and the car park entrance and exit. The other was the potential traffic congestion it would cause with possible tailbacks out of the village during busy periods.

Another consideration was that the refuge is on the TT course.

‘Because of that, we had to have consultaions with the ACU and seek their approval of the plans,’ he said.

The refuge is removable and can be unscrewed from the road surface and taken away during the TT and Manx Grand Prix fortnights. In addition, the road markings have used special paint which affords more grip and are positioned off the racing line.

POLICE are appealing for help following a collision on the St Jude’s road, between Sulby Bridge and St Jude’s crossroads, yesterday (Tuesday) lunchtime.

The incident, which took place at around 12.45pm, involved a Ford Transit van towing a trailer and a Honda CRV car. Both vehicles had been travelling in the same direction, towards St Jude’s crossroads.

If you can help, contact Constable Darren Wylde at Ramsey Police Station on 812234. Alternatively, call the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.

THE two candidates for Legislative Council nominated by Liberal Vannin leader Peter Karran MHK will talk about their political views tonight (Wednesday) at a meeting.

Linda Bowers-Kasch and Peter Hill, Liberal Vannin candidates for the Legislative Council, will be at the public meeting of the party’s central branch at 8pm the Douglas Old Friends’ Association on Finch Road, Douglas.

In a statement released today, the party said: ‘Liberal Vannin stand for a more open and transparent government and believe that in order to achieve this MLCs should be willing to engage with the public and explain their political positions.

‘Should Linda or Peter be successful in their candidacy, as part of the Liberal Vannin party they will regularly attend public meetings and engage in open discussion with the public. As LibVan MLCs they both support party policy of national public elections for Members of the Legislative Council.’

The statement adds: ‘MLCs form part of our national government and, although they are currently not elected by the public, they have a duty to ensure that they represent the people of the Isle of Man.

‘Liberal Vannin challenges all MLC candidates to meet with the public and to publish public manifestos so the people of the Isle of Man can see exactly who their MHKs are voting for.’

The meeting is open to the public and the party says it welcomes everyone to attend.

Linda Bowers-Kasch stood unsuccessfully in Ramsey on a Liberal Vannin ticket in 2011’s general election. Mr Hill was the party’s candidate in Douglas North. He also failed to get elected.

MHKs will elect four members to LegCo on Monday, if the timetable goes to plan.

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/potential-lawmakers-who-won-t-face-voters-1-5465595|Click here to read our story earlier this month}

ANYONE undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy or other cancer treatments is being invited to ‘Look Good, Feel Better’.

The Hospice Isle of Man initiative aims to support and improve a person’s wellbeing through pampering therapy treatment carried out in an informal and relaxed environment.

The sessions are designed to be fun and to boost confidence.

The two week programme can teach participants how to manage the visible side-effects of treatments, increase their confidence, self-esteem and learn how to relax and enjoy life!

Established in May last year, 56 people have already benefited.

The programme runs on a Thursday evenings throughout the year starting tomorrow (March 14) March 21; July 11 and 18; September 19 and 26; November 21 and 28.

For more information contact Wendy Smith, day unit manager, the Scholl Centre, Hospice Isle of Man, Strang, Douglas, on 647426.

THAT magnetic actor/producer Tom Conti is visiting the Isle of Man this week.

His father, Alfonso, was one of the many Italian so-called enemy aliens detained behind barbed wire in Douglas seafront boarding houses and hotels in the Second World War.

Mr Conti is making a BBC Radio 4 documentary about this aspect of what might be called his Manx ancestry.

Welcome to the Isle of Man, Mr Conti. I have a story for you.

In 1943 or 1944 I was a junior pupil at Douglas High School. My father was in the RAF. We lived at Studley House on Queen’s Promenade, now down under a block of apartments.

Other people like us had been turned out of their houses with two weeks’ notice by the UK Government to make room for the thousands of internees coming.

We were lucky. We didn’t have to move out.

Our place was taken over as billets for the camp guards. In time the guards went elsewhere and Ma was able to go back to taking visitors, although not as many as there used to be during the summer.

Once our only guest was an Italian lady. She had told my mother her husband was an internee and she had come to visit him at his internment camp.

She was upstairs one evening when Ma had a neighbour, Mrs Gahan, round for a fireside chat in our living room and I was doing my homework.

We weren’t expecting other callers so it was a surprise to hear the outside front door being opened and somebody walking up the hall quietly past our closed living room door and going upstairs to the bedrooms.

Ma and Mrs Gahan and me sat there in wide-eyed silence.

Ma decided I should go to bed while she dealt with the matter. She wanted me out of harm’s way. She didn’t take into account that it could be the Mad Axeman waiting for me upstairs.

Ma told me what happened later.

She rang the police. They turned up with Army officers from the guardhouse at the internee camp just up the prom from us.

They had come because an Italian detainee had escaped that very evening.

The Army and the police went upstairs and took the Italian couple away and that was the end of it for us.

But looking back on it, as I grew up I came to harbour the fervent hope that they waited a decent interval before going up and knocking on the Italian couple’s bedroom door.

We never heard anything more about them so I don’t know if our visitor was called Alfonso.

• THE Examiner had a report of a meeting of Castletown Commissioners at which there was a discussion relating to a body called the Southern Local Authorities Group (SLAG).

When was it founded? Is it an old slag?

• THE international news supplied to Manx Radio by Sky included the following: There’s a warning Britain’s energy reserves are on a downward rollercoaster.’

I’m glad I’m not on it as well.

• RICHARD Hetherington sends in the following Manx clue from a Daily Telegraph crossword book: Local dignitary plants tree on island (8) – ALDERMAN.

• THIS week’s new media collective noun: A Shorthand of Journalists.

THE island’s chief Minister has stressed the importance of town and village regeneration to support future economic growth in the Isle of Man.

Allan Bell said the image of the island as well as its infrastructure were both vital in attracting high quality international business.

Mr Bell said: ‘I have been critical in the past of the rundown appearance of some of our retail areas as they create a poor impression of the Island as a whole.

‘A good quality environment can give the local community a lift and stimulate fresh investment and jobs.

‘That’s why Government is leading from the front and providing the funding to help local economies to achieve their full potential.’

More than 150 projects have been supported by the Isle of Man Town and Village Regeneration Scheme, which started in April 2009 with funding of up to £8m.

Awards have been approved for a wide range of activities, from minor improvements to individual properties and parades of shops, to larger scale schemes to create more vibrant commercial centres.

Work has included the painting and repair of shop facades, the installation of windows and canopies, and the provision of new street furniture, paving, public art and lighting.

Projects are co-ordinated by Regional Regeneration Committees, which are partnerships between Government, local authorities and private enterprise. These in turn are influenced by public feedback.

Notable among the improvements carried out so far are those to Nelson Street and Wellington Street in Douglas, and The Lanes and the area around the old courthouse in Ramsey.

Mr Bell added: ‘Growing the economy is one of our national priorities and investment in the physical appearance of our towns and villages is just one of a wide range of activities aimed at supporting existing businesses and encouraging new investment.

‘Douglas is our main business hub and gateway to the Isle of Man, and I’m pleased that work has started this week on a scheme to rejuvenate part of the main retail zone.

‘However, activity is not just focused on Douglas; regeneration funding is being spread throughout the island, so communities should start to see signs of improvement in the months ahead.’

Other work is in the pipeline and a newsletter contains updates on progress so far and plans for future development. The newsletter can be found at {http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/ded/Regeneration/regenerationnewsletter2013.pdf|www.gov.im/lib/docs/ded/Regeneration/regenerationnewsletter2013.pdf}

ANOTHER man has been arrested by police investigating a fracas that allegedly happened during and after a football match in Laxey earlier this month.

The man has been arrested on suspicion of a public order offence. He has released on police bail following interview and pending further inquiries.

There have now been a total of five men arrested in relation to the investigation, which is continuing.

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/two-more-arrests-after-football-fracas-1-5470569|Click here to read a previous story about the investigation}

Police are still looking for witnesses.

They are particularly interested to talk to any one who saw an incident in which one player allegedy received a facial injury.

Witnesses should contact Ramsey police station on 812234 or the anonymous Crimestoppers Line 0800 555 111.

Police are appealing to the public to keep an eye out for medication that was lost on the bus.

The bus was going from Peel to Douglas at around midday yesterday (Tuesday).

This medication could be dangerous if swallowed.

Police say that anyone who finds the drugs should hand them in at the hospital, a doctors’ surgery or a police station.

DOES a black economy exist within the island’s construction industry?

That was the question raised in the House of Keys by Michael MHK Alfred Cannan who said firms working cash in hand were depriving government coffers and undermining legitimate companies that did pay their taxes.

He said: ‘Undeclared tax receipts are both detrimental to Treasury income but also, just as importantly, not creating a level playing field for those companies that to abide with the law.’

And he said as the economy tightens, there may ben increased temptations for some firms to avoid paying tax.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK said he had not received any evidence of a black economy existing within the construction industry.

But he said that both the Income Tax Division and Customs and Excise had a team of highly trained compliance officers who worked with enforcement agencies across government to ensure construction work is under taken legitimately.

He revealed that the Income Tax Division had concluded 37 compliance cases in the past two years relating directly to the construction industry, uncovering extra income of £2 million and generating £397,000 of tax.

And he repeated the message he gave in his Budget speech: ‘If anyone thinks that they can get away without paying tax on their income, they should think again.

‘If you have income which you do not declare, it is only a matter of time until we catch up with you and there will be severe repercussions and stringent penalties. There is no hiding place.’

John Houghton (Douglas North) suggested that many contractors employed by government departments were not themselves paying their sub-contractors on many occasions. ‘What action will he taken to put an end to this?’ he asked the Treasury Minister.

Mr Teare replied that Treasury did take a close interest in this and would take it into account when main contracts were awarded.

He said that some companies would question the timing and quality of sub-contractors’ work as a means of trying to defer payment.

Bill Henderson (Douglas North) said there was a potential for the manipulation of the tax system. The minister said it was ‘virtually impossible’ to identify the scale of lost income through this element of the black economy but ‘through strong enforcement we are increasing the tax take’.

ONCHAN Commissioners are opposing a government suggestion that all public sector tenancies should be fixed for two years.

The Department of Social Care (DSC) has produced a draft policy document that demands all public sector tenancies should be granted for a fixed term of two years, effective from April 1 this year.

Vote on this issue using the web poll panel at right of this story

A statement from the Onchan board reads: ‘Onchan Commissioners are of the opinion that the fixed-term tenancy agreement is not in the best interest of its tenants, and in the circumstances will not be introducing these in respect of the commissioners’ own social housing stock.’

The authority has written to the department’s minister Chris Robertshaw MHK to say why it opposes the suggestion.

Commissioners chairman Robin Turton said: ‘The government’s own Housing Review Consultation in 2012 did not support a two-year term. In fact, the majority of respondents suggested a five-year term. We believe that the introduction of means-testing every two years imposes a considerably enhanced administrative and cost burden. There seems little or no benefit in incurring these additional costs. We will continue to offer our tenants the existing weekly tenancy agreement, which provides the flexibility required for proper management of our housing stock.’

At their board meeting on Monday, members expressed considerable concerns about the recent spate of social housing policies that have been issued from the DSC.

‘Changes to our policies should be reasoned and transparent,’ said Rob Callister. ‘In addition to the fixed tenancy, the government has issued a revised points system for rents that seems to create some anomalies, with existing tenants subject to rent rises ranging from 3.5 per cent to a massive 22.2 per cent.

‘Our local authority lives within its means. We do not claim any deficiency payments for our general housing stock, and only a small amount for sheltered housing. We do not need to be burdening our social housing tenants with extra rental costs.

‘Unfortunately, we have not been given enough time to create our own alternative system, so for the moment we have to implement the DSC’s scheme.’

Rent increase letters have now been sent to all of the commissioners’ tenants.

‘I am really annoyed that this has been forced upon us,’ said Derek Crellin. ‘I know that some people demonise our tenants by suggesting that they are benefiting unreasonably but that is not true. The taxpayer and the ratepayer are not required to subsidise our social housing. The rents we receive and the reserves we hold cover our costs. We are not in the business of profit-seeking so why should we increase our rents beyond what is needed to keep us debt-free?’

The commissioners say that it is time to reclaim their statutory powers and they will be working towards their own policies on rent, tenancy agreements and regular reviews of tenants’ circumstances.

‘A number of options have been considered and we hope to complete a review of the rental situation within a few weeks,’ said Mr Turton. ‘Tenants can rest assured that we have their best interests in mind.’

PRIMARY schools will be doing their bit to support Comic Relief.

Red Nose Day takes place tomorrow (Friday) and will see children dressing up and, in some cases, showing off their talents.

Ballasalla School was the first off the mark. This week teams of children have been cooking and decorating cakes as part of its Comic Relief Bake Off.

Their efforts will be judged today (Thursday) before being sold off tomorrow to raise money for Comic Relief.

Meanwhile, Both Fairfield and Onchan schools have chosen a superhero theme.

Fairfield School is holding a Superheroes Day while Onchan is holding a Silly Superheroes Day, with both staff and children dressing up.

Braddan School will be holding a Britain’s Got Talent show as well as a Red Nose disco.

Children will be dressing in red and, of course, wearing red noses.

Pupils at Marown School, in Glen Vine, will be dressing in red or white, and there will be a cake sale.

Rushen School, in Port Erin, is holding a talent show, and children will be wearing red noses and dressing up. Money raised by the school will be divided between Comic Relief and Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation’s appeal to equip primary schools with defibrillators.

At the Bunscoill in St John’s, the children have organised a range of activities. They will be dressing up as clowns and there will even be a clown competition with pupils performing in front of the rest of the school.

They will also raise money for Comic Relief through a toy stall, cake raffle, hand painting, and a fun run.

Comic Relief has funded 15,786 projects across the UK since its launch in 1985.

HARD-CORE porn was discovered in the pages of a book that’s being sold to raise money for the island’s children’s hospice.

Today’s Manx Independent reports on the printers’ error.

One of our reporters was in court when Bentley driver Bob Riding was fined after his car and a horse were involved in a collision.

We report on what happened there.

Elsewhere in the paper, a couple whose holiday to Tenerife was cancelled because of a bureaucratic blunder tell us what happened.

The scale of the Manx Electricity Authority’s debt has horrified Alfred Cannan MHK. He tells us why he asked a question in the Keys about the matter.

You might remember {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/family-need-to-raise-4-000-to-bring-tina-s-body-home-1-5462420|this story} about a woman from the island who was allegedly murdered.

The family now has her body back in the island. The Manx Independent reports on that.

Meanwhile, if you’re over 60 and between 16 and 18 years old, you might have to pay for prescriptions soon. The Manx Independent says why.

The back page leads with enduro competitors David Knight and the McCanney brothers who are in Chile.

The Manx Independent also includes the Isle of Man’s two-page what’s on guide.

The paper is in the shops now.

THE new Pope has been welcomed by the Anglican Bishop of the Isle of Man, Robert Paterson.

Bishop Paterson released a statement to say: ‘To our brothers and sisters in Christ of the Roman Catholic community, particularly on the Isle of Man, please accept the warmest congratulations from your sister Church of the Diocese of Sodor and Man on the election of Pope Francis.

‘We will pray for him in our worship on Sunday, at his enthronement in the Chair of Saint Peter in Rome next week and throughout his ministry.

‘Please pray for us, your Anglican brothers and sisters, as Archbishop Justin is enthroned in the Chair of Saint Augustine in Canterbury on Thursday 21st.’

Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the Catholic Church’s Pope was elected on Wednesday night.

THERE was a slight fall in the number of people travelling to and from the island, according to government statistics.

Total scheduled departures fell from 636,072 in 2011 to 630,098 in 2012, a fall of just under 1 per cent.

Broken down, the number of passengers leaving the island on scheduled flights fell by 0.7 per cent over the previous year, while the figure for sea passengers was down 1.2 per cent.

Visitor numbers were virtually unchanged. An estimated 294,471 trips were made to the island in 2012, compared with 294,484 in 2011.

The number of residents travelling off the island dropped from 341,588 to 335,627 over the same period.

Of the 294,471 trips made by visitors in 2012, 106,381 (36 per cent) were leisure visitors staying in paid accommodation. Forty per cent (116,424) were visiting and staying with friends of family and 65,562 (22 per cent) were travelling for work or business reasons.

The economic affairs division of the Treasury will release more information about its survey towards the end of the month or at the start of April.

ELEVEN jobs are under threat in the Department of Education and Children.

The department is to reorganise ‘nurture provision’.

A spokeman said that stand-alone nurture groups, led by teachers, were to be replaced with schools adopting more of a ‘whole school’ approach to nurturing pupils, using education support staff as additional support.

‘Nurture care’ offers support for small numbers of pupils, usually for just part of a school week and for only a proportion of a school year. In some cases this is during class time and in others during breaks.

A number of schools have already changed to the new way of working. Only three of the DEC’s five secondary schools and six of its 34 primary schools now have formal, teacher-led nurture groups.

Teachers at remaining nurture groups were invited to a meeting today (Thursday) at which the department began consultation.

A DEC press statement reads: ‘This consultation will seek their views as to how redundancy can be avoided and will explore redeployment into other suitable vacant posts within education. Eleven posts – the equivalent of nine full-time equivalent staff – are affected.’

Sally Brookes, director of services for children, said pupils requiring more nurturing in order to succeed at school would receive the extra assistance they needed following the change.

‘We have been piloting different approaches to how we deliver nurture support and have found a model that uses education support staff is very effective,’ she said. ‘Children needing extra nurturing still have their learning planned by their class teacher and the support comes from staff who are skilled in providing that support.

‘This change allows us to maintain this quality provision while diverting resources to other areas of services for children’s provision.’

More on this story in Monday’s Examiner

CHARITIES and voluntary organisations could get a share of about £10m resting in dormant bank accounts.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare has outlined plans to distribute funds contained in bank accounts that have been inactive for 15 years or more.

In his written reply to a Keys question from Zac Hall (Onchan), Mr Teare said it was estimated that more than £10m may rest in accounts dormant since January 1, 1995 – and that third sector organisations would be invited to apply for a share of the cash.

He continued: ‘It is currently envisaged that funds will only be distributed to third sector organisations existing wholly or mainly to provide benefits for society or the environment. Similarly, third sector organisations will be invited to apply for a distribution of the funds with each application considered on its merits. It is proposed that there will be a statutory obligation on third sector organisations to fully account for expenditure of funds on an annual basis and in that respect it is expected that they would be required to comply with statutory requirements for producing and filing their accounts.

‘It is further intended that a report of funds distributed, together with an account of how they have been put to use, will be laid before Tynwald.’

Mr Teare said it would be premature to assess the impact of doing this on the strategy to rebalance public finances – other than to state it was likely to have a positive effect on protecting the vulnerable in society.

IT may be possible to bring forward the construction date for the Peel sewage treatment works, MHKs have been told.

Questions about the location and timescale for a new regional treatment works to serve Peel were raise in the House of Keys by Liberal Vannin leader Peter Karran (Onchan).

In his reply, Water and Sewage Authority (WASA) chairman John Houghton said two sites were currently under consideration as part of a feasibility study – the land currently zoned for industrial development between Glenfaba Road and the old railway line, and Knockaloe Farm.

Mr Houghton said that the recently commissioned feasibility study will consider the whole of the Knockaloe Farm site to determine the suitability, availability and cost of using a portion of the land as a potential site for sewage treatment.

In a separate written reply, the WASA chairman said the construction of the Peel sewage treatment works currently forms part of phase 2 of the Regional Sewage Treatment Strategy, which subject to Tynwald funding, will take place between 2018 and 2023.

But he added: ‘It may be possible to bring forward the date for construction of the Peel sewage treatment works if the construction costs can be contained within the overall Tynwald approved budget for phase 1 of the strategy.

‘In consideration of this, Peel Commissioners have requested the authority to undertake a feasibility study to determine the most cost effective and environmentally sustainable solution for treating the sewage generated by the Peel sewer catchment.’

Phase one of the Regional Sewage Treatment Strategy was approved by Tynwald in April 2011.

Mr Houghton said planning approval for the new works will be sought through the normal planning process.

THE top civil service posts in Economic Development and Social Care will not be advertised at this time, MHKs were told.

Chairman of the Civil Service Commission Alfred Cannan was quizzed in the House of Keys over the four-month secondment to Sark, and subsequent 12-month secondment to the Chief Secretary’s Office, of Colin Kniveton, the chief executive of the Department of Economic Development.

Mr Kniveton’s secondments have meant that the Chris Corlett, chief executive in Social Care, was appointed to DED in his stead, while Yvette Mellor has taken over Mr Corlett’s role in his absence.

MHKs heard the current pay scale for the chief executive of DED ranged from £94,873 to £118,493. The pay scale for the chief executive in Social Care ranged from £76,068 to £94,986.

Mr Cannan said it had been intended that after Mr Kniveton’s return from Sark, Mr Corlett would revert to his post in Social Care, but given that Mr Kniveton is not now returning immediately to DED, it has been agreed to avoid further disruption Mr Corlett should remain in DED for 12 months. He said the posts of chief executive in DED and Social Care would therefore not be advertised.

David Quirk (Onchan) suggested the island now had an ‘additional chief executive that floats around in the abyss,’ adding: ‘What messages does this give out?’

Mr Cannan replied: ‘I don’t agree Mr Kniveton is floating around in the abyss. He has been given a specific role.’

Mr Kniveton has been seconded to support a comprehensive review of government services.

A MOCK inquest was organised on behalf of the Isle of Man Law Society by Vicki Unsworth of advocates Smith Taubitz Unsworth.

The hearing was part of the society’s regular programme of mock courts.

These are aimed at promoting best practice in advocacy where trainee, newly qualified and junior advocates are given the opportunity to gain practical experience at the Isle of Man Courts of Justice, observed by their peers and senior members of the Isle of Man Bar and judiciary who volunteer their time.

The society’s newly elected president Kevin O’Riordan said: ‘Trainees have the opportunity to observe their colleagues and benefit from feedback.

‘Mock courts also serve as a great confidence builder and provide a setting in which trainees can explore the importance of demonstrating courtesy and consideration, values very much part of an advocate’s duty.

‘Practical advocacy skills also help the smooth running of the courtroom.’

The mock inquest was presided over by the High Bailiff John Needham who, before the hearing began, gave an insightful account of coronial law and practice and outlined a number of areas where legislation in the Isle of Man differed from that in England.

The inquest gave trainees Adam Killip of Dougherty Quinn, Ashley Kneale of Quinn Legal and James Robinson of Pringle Law their first experience of representing ‘clients’ at a coroner’s hearing.

Adam Killip said: ‘I found it a very useful experience, particularly given that proceedings at an inquest are inquisitorial rather than adversarial, so the style of advocacy required was very different from anything I have done before.’

Ashley Kneale said: ‘The opportunity to tailor our advocacy skills in a different forum was an invaluable experience.

‘The training sessions, although fictional, come to life when we find ourselves sitting before members of the judiciary.’

And James Robinson observed: ‘The mock inquest hearings show the different types of advocacy that we have to employ in different courts.

‘Despite the fact that we are brought up in an adversarial-based court system, inquests follow the European model of a more inquisitorial style system. You have to alter your approach from putting your client’s case forward and trying to undermine your opponent’s case, to attempting to establish facts without any culture of blame attached.

‘This involves skills that are less frequently employed in usual contentious litigation hearings, so the opportunity to refine these skills in such an environment as the mock court is invaluable.’

The High Bailiff praised the three for ‘not labouring points’ and for ‘adopting the right tone’ adding that the session demonstrated how, in the coroner’s court, the advocate’s role was to be ‘robust but subtle’.

He concluded by commenting that coroner’s law was ‘very often opaque’ so led to a completely different courtroom environment from that to which advocates were more usually accustomed, and said that the mock inquest session therefore assisted the practical advocacy process.

The society has expressed its gratitude to the High Bailiff for contributing such time and energy to this training exercise.

Another round of mock courts will take place in the coming year.