In the second of two articles, Friends of the Earth member James McLean looks more closely at the detail of the Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture Landscape and Amenity Strategy 2050

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Following last week’s overview of the Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture’s new strategy paper, there were a few high level aims in the document that grabbed my attention.

For reference, the document can viewed online here: https://www.gov.im/media/1352012/our-landscape-our-legacy.pdf

They’re all good suggestions, but I felt these in particular were worth drawing attention to.

- Ensure the unique Isle of Man landscape is protected and promoted

- Ensure everyone understands what biodiversity is, why it is important and is empowered to use it sustainably

- Ensure ecosystem services are a key part of policy decisions

- Take a ‘catchment management’ approach to help mitigate climate change, prevent flooding and provide clean drinking water.

- Sensitively manage critical habitats in a pragmatic manner to sustain and maintain value

- Involve society in understanding, appreciating and safeguarding biodiversity

- Develop a Green Economy to enhance our island’s reputation and to sustainably use our natural wealth

- Maximise the potential of eco-tourism

- Ensure that the complex interaction of regulations, markets and policy deliver economic and environmental benefit

- Improve visitor information so people can confidently and responsibly use and enjoy [our landscape]

- Recognise the importance to health of catchment management for flood prevention and water quality, and ensure that policies and management support this.

- Increase community group, user group and corporate engagement with countryside projects.

- Encourage and develop new outdoor/natural learning opportunities.

- Support forest school concepts to promote different learning opportunities.

However, without timelines for implementation, ownership and assessment, the document offers very little in the way of actual strategy.

For comparison, there are a number of notable LEMPs (Landscape and Ecological Management Plans) to refer to, in order to illustrate what could be expected.

The University of Bath’s particularly stood out to me as a well formatted and documented strategy, setting out a clear and easy to follow plan:

- Assessment of current position

- Strategic vision

- Implementation (including management strategy, programme and phasing, funding and resources)

- Assessment (strategy for monitoring and review)

Other than what has already been highlighted as missing, where, for example, is the input from the Department of Infrastructure?

DEFA and DoI are intrinsically connected. How does this document sit along with urbanisation in the island?

What about sustainable energy descent and clean transport infrastructure?

What about the island’s waste reduction and sustainable waste management?

All of these questions lead back into the greater strategy for sustainably sustaining and developing our natural environment.

In times past, drunks and petty criminals thrown in the village lock-up would have dreamed of getting their hands on the key to the door.

Now you have a chance to own the keys to a piece of Manx social and criminal history after Kirk Michael’s Old Courthouse - including what was once the cell - was put up for sale.

It’s gone on the market with estate agents Crystals for £170,000.

Crystals describe it as a ‘unique opportunity’ to acquire a building of ‘great historical value, ideal for persons looking for a restoration project and suitable for other uses subject to planning’.

The castellated Old Courthouse, which stands next to the Mitre Hotel, dates back to 1835, replacing an early courthouse that was built in 1766.

It was originally used as an ecclesiastical court and was the last rural courthouse to function. The last case was held in the early 1950s.

It was registered as a listed building in 1991.

During the 19th century, courts were held once a quarter and these were then reduced to one annually.

At the south side of the Courthouse is the cell, which was known locally as the ‘Blaekhole’. This was a lock-up and appears to have been rarely used except on Fair nights. Michaelmas Fair Day was held on the Fair Field behind the Mitre.

Since the 1950s it has been a social centre, classroom and restaurant as well as being owned by Liverpool and Bradford education authorities and used as a summer camps for schools.

In 2006 a Michael Courthouse Trust was set up in a bid to purchase it for the nation. They planned to turn it into a heritage centre with a library, tearooms and, possibly, links to Michael School for lessons and projects on local history.

Roy Kennaugh, who was a member of the Trust and a Michael commissioner at the time, said that after the local authority rejected his proposal to buy the Old Courthouse, he contacted several people who were ‘Michael born and bred’ and managed to raise almost the asking price for the building.

But he said: ‘However, the Health Minister at the time was interested in it as a potential doctor’s surgery for the village which was a “hot potato” at the time.

‘Two of the supporters had a conflict of interest as a result of this and had to withdraw their financial support. Consequently the bid to purchase this unique building failed.

‘I believe this historically important (and Registered) building could be a great asset to the community.’

The area on Douglas Promenade between the War Memorial and the Bottleneck will become a designated disc parking zone from Saturday, December 10, until Sunday, January 8.

Motorists will be able to park free of charge on the Promenade walkway for up to two hours by displaying a parking disc.

No parking over two hours will be permitted.

The additional parking is part of the Department of Infrastructure’s efforts to encourage people to support the Manx economy over the festive period.

The island’s GPs will be taking part in an education session on Wednesday afternoon.

Routine appointments will not be available during afternoon, however urgent appointments will be available through on-call GPs.

Anyone who needs to see a doctor should ring their GP practice as normal.

Practices will remain open during for patients to visit the practice nurse, collect test results, make future appointments, and order repeat prescriptions as normal.

During the training session, the fourth to take place this year, doctors will hear from colleagues within the Department of Health and Social Care on topics including: anxiety management; education for people newly diagnosed with diabetes; and reducing antibiotic prescribing.

The quarterly education sessions were established in 2012 to give GPs the opportunity to discuss developments in medical care and best practice, and to examine ways to enhance care for patients.

The Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society’s winter season of lectures will continue this Saturday with society head Ian Burrell giving his Presidential Lecture on ‘The Other Mona’ – the isle of Anglesey in North Wales.

The talk, which is also open to non-members for a small fee, takes place in the Manx Museum lecture theatre, beginning at 2.30pm.

Ian will tell of some of the fascinating sights members came across when they visited Anglesey in May.

They found the island had many similarities with the Isle of Man, such as Neolithic burials, legendary links to St Patrick and ring-and-chain Norse carved crosses. Key differences include Roman remains and a remarkable ‘Copper Kingdom’.

The largest island in the Irish Sea, Anglesey is not mountainous like the Isle of Man, though some of the higher hills are referred to as ‘mountains’ and the towering peaks of Snowdonia, on the mainland across the narrow but sometimes treacherous Menai Strait, are an often visible and brooding presence to the south.

The strait was bridged in the early 19th century with two pioneering structures designed by famous engineers.

No one is sure why the Romans called both Anglesey and Mann by the same name of ‘Mona’ but somehow the word has stuck as a poetic title for each.

Tea and biscuits will be served at the end. See www.manxantiquarians.com and the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society Facebook page.

An unlicensed and uninsured driver had to be pursued by police and forced to stop, a court has been told.

Joanne Louise Hall was spotted by an off-duty policeman on the A26 in St Marks village on November 30.

Her Renault Clio was followed by a marked Panda car, from Bridge Road to Cross Fourways, but she ignored both the flashing blue lights behind her and the car’s sirens.

For the prosecution, Barry Swain told the court not only had Hall ignored all indications to pull over, but she actually speeded up and overtook two cars, apparantly to get away. Finally, the police car was forced to swerve in front of the defendant’s Clio and physically block it from continuing any further.

The 39-year-old told police she had not seen the flashing blue lights behind her and she was aware she had no licence or insurance.

‘There’s no reason why she might not have seen the blue lights and in any event she should have heard the sirens,’ Mr Swain said.

Hall, who lives at Malew Street in Castletown represented herself.

She told the court: ‘I’m sorry the police have so much time on their hands. This was like something out of the Keystone Cops. I had no licence, no insurance, yes: guilty.’

But she said prosecution allegations that she had speeded up and overtaken cars to evade the police were completely false.

‘Go ahead make up what you want,’ she said.

Magistrates’ chairman Kenneth Faragher told her: ‘The offences are very serious.’

She was fined £300 with a 20 week ban for having no insurance, £100 for failing to stop; no separate penalty was given for no licence.

Its full steam ahead for Christmas this weekend, when the Santa trains get underway at groudle Glen this Saturday.

Santa will be in his grotto at the Lhen Coan station, where visitors will met by his elves and be given a warm welcome, with a mince pie, a glass of mulled wine, a hot drink or some sweets for the children.

Children can also have their picture taken when they visit him at his woodland home before boarding the train for a trip back through the glen.

The trains will be running from 10am until 3pm this week from Saturday, 10th and Sunday 11th, and next week from the 17th and 18th of December.

Tickets for the train ride are £6, and are available online

Hundreds of tots and their mums and dads have been enjoying the special Christmas ice rink sessions in the community marquee at Tynwald Mills.

Ice rinks can be a daunting place for young children with teens and adults whizzing by just as they are trying to find their feet on the ice.

At the Community Marquee at Tynwald Mills, currently home to the Christmas ice rink, it was important that the little ones didn’t miss out on the fun.

Sponsorship from plan.com has enabled Tynwald Mills to run a number of free sessions at the rink, for very young children, schools, and charitable organisations such as Crossroads Young Carers.

This week, three morning sessions allowed the tots to come along and simply enjoy being on the ice, whether they were being towed along on sleds, cruising round the ice on the helpful penguins, or enjoying building snowmen and snow castles.

The ‘snow’ was provided by scraping the excess ice from the surface after the previous session and piling it in the middle of the rink where the children soon discovered it had exactly the right consistently for filling buckets and plastic wheelbarrows.

Some of the older tots were able to go around the ice on special double runner skates whilst holding their parents hands which made an ideal introduction to ‘proper’ skating.

Tynwald Mills marketing and project manager Matthew McSevney said: ‘We have been delighted by the response to these free sessions with so many young children and their parents able to come and have fun on the ice and we are very grateful to plan.com whose generous sponsorship is helping us to fulfil the original intention of making our community marquee truly a facility for the whole community.’

For the retail side of the business the ice rink also helps to increase footfall at the most crucial time of the year, with mums often taking the opportunity to stay for a cup of coffee or do a spot of Christmas shopping afterwards, once the tots have run off some of their energy.

Matthew added: ‘Young children on the island don’t always get to experience an environment like this, where they can play in the cold with snow and it’s amazing how well it’s been received; they love it.’

Queen Elizabeth II High School will host a Christmas concert next Tuesday, December 13.

It will start at 7.15pm and is being held in the main school hall.

Entrance for adults is £4 and £2 for children.

A family ticket costs £10 and includes entry for two adults and two children.

There will be refreshments available and a raffle.

Entertainment will include windband, senior and junior choirs, flute choir, ukulele orchestra, Club Kiauli, bells and much more.

Tickets are available from the school reception or by calling 841000 or emailing qe2enquiries@sch.im

The number of registered unemployed increased by 21 last month to 573 - but that’s still 213 fewer than the same month last year and the lowest November figure since 2007.

It meant that the unemployment rate - the proportion of the economically active population out of work - increased by 0.1 per cent in November to reach 1.3 per cent.

A total of 206 signed onto the unemployment register and 185 left the register over the month.

During the month 690, job vacancies were notified to the Job Centre. At the end of the month, 406 remained.

Of those, 72 per cent (291) were full time positions and 28 per cent (115) were part time roles.

Sectors of the economy with the highest number of unemployed were construction, some retail distribution, other business services, some catering and entertainment and miscellaneous services.

Those sectors with the highest numbers of vacancies were e-gaming, medical and health services, wholesale distribution, other catering and entertainment and other retail distribution.

Of the 573 unemployed in November, 390 were men and 183 were women. Of the 206 new claimants, 149 were male and 57 female.

Three of those unemployed required work permits and 18 were under the age of 18.

Of the 573 registered out of work, 161 have been out of a job for less than one month, 74 have been without work for between one and two years, 31 had been out of a job for between two and four years and 26 had been jobless for more than four years.

Not included in the figures released by the Economic Affairs unit of the Cabinet Office are the 42 under-18s registered with the Department of Economic Development but not claiming any benefit.

Does the public support pedestrianising the square in Castletown?

The idea was floated at the local authority meeting on Monday.

Commissioners have a number of issues relating to the square including unfinished aspects of the regeneration scheme.

These were raised at a meeting with the Department of Infrastructure’s director of highways Jeffrey Robinson.

The authority also asked if it would be possible to close the square for functions with ‘less administrative burden’, such as road closure orders, and Mr Robinson said the department will look into the request but supports the idea ‘in principle’.

Speaking after a weekend when the town’s square was closed to traffic for the Christmas lights switch on - the event was a great success attracting an estimated over 1,000 people - commissioner Colin Leather said: ‘If we cannot manage the square in the way it’s meant to be, the only way is pedestrianisation.’

- Other issues raised include: creating different exit routes from the square; adapting the kerb outside the George Hotel; more removable bollards for George Lane; a more clearly delineted crossing point in the Parade; and reviewing options for cleaning the paving in Malew and Arbory Street, as they rest on sand, water might disturb them.

Problems surfacing the new Laxey Bridge means that the work will now not be finished until the New Year.

The final stage of the scheme was due to be finished by today (Friday) at the latest, just over a year since the historic bridge collapsed in flashfloods, toppling a double decker bus into the raging torrent below.

The bridge opened to traffic at the end of September, having previously opened temporarily over the TT period.

A temporary road closure order was in place for the bridge and roads leading off it from November 28 up tomorrow to allow the permanent asphalt surface to be laid.

It follows the installation of new telecommunications infrastructure by Manx Telecom to provide more residents and businesses in lower Laxey with access to high-speed broadband services.

The features inspired by the ‘pepper pot’ lighthouses at Laxey harbour – dubbed the Daleks by locals – were installed at the end of last week.

But the surfacing works did not go to plan.

A Department of Infrastructure spokesman told the Manx Independent: ‘An issue has been identified in relation to the bond between the hot-rolled asphalt and the chippings used in the surfacing for Laxey Bridge.

‘The Department of Infrastructure is committed to providing a high quality finish for the bridge and will look into the matter before returning to complete the work, probably early in the New Year.

‘In the meantime, the bridge will remain open to traffic and is safe to use.’

The spokesman described the problem as ‘relatively minor’ but said that the DoI were keen for the bridge to be absolutely right.

The bridge reopened yesterday (Wednesday) so that traffic could flow along Minorca Hill and Old Laxey Hill.

Meanwhile, Glen Road is due to reopen this afternoon.

The surfacing work has been put back to the New Year as the DoI has to apply for another temporary road closure order.

The bridge will have to be closed for up to three days for the completion of the scheme.

Unlike the 200-year old arched bridge, the department’s engineers opted for a flat bridge which they say will reduce the likelihood of any future flood damage by allowing the river to flow unimpeded out to sea.

It can handle almost three times the volume of water of the original bridge.

Children’s social services are facing a sensitive data breach just months after the launch of a move to improve transparency and restore confidence.

Police are investigating the theft of a device used to record sensitive child protection meetings.

It is understood that the handheld digital device has recordings of a number of meetings involving two cases.

Health and Social Care Minister Kate Beecroft announced in Tynwald last month that her department was introducing a policy of audio recording child protection conferences and other meetings with parents.

In a move designed to improve transparency and bolster confidence in the children and family services division, parents are provided with a copy of the recording for their own personal use.

But this week, the Department of Health and Social Care wrote to parents involved in child protection cases to inform them of ‘a serious incident’ involving a device used to record meetings which had been ‘removed without authorisation’ from its Murray House offices.

It said the matter had been reported to police with a request that it is investigated as a theft.

‘Please be advised that the department is taking this matter very seriously,’ it added.

The audio files have not been lost as they had already been downloaded to the government network.

One parent who was informed about the stolen recording device told iomtoday: ‘It’s extremely concerning how they have allowed such unthinkably sensitive information to go missing.’

The missing device has also been reported to Information Commissioner Iain McDonald. He said: ‘We are aware of the matter. It was reported to us by the department at the start of the week. There is an ongoing investigation.’

In a statement, the Department of Health and Social Care said: ‘The two affected service users have been informed of the theft and the department is keeping them up to date with developments.

‘The recording of meetings is not currently routine and is only done at the request of the service user. The department takes its duty to protect data extremely seriously. It would not be appropriate to comment further, pending the outcome of any investigation.’

At present the recording is an interim arrangement subject to a policy being agreed.

In Tynwald last month, the Health and Social Care Minister said the digital recording equipment had been chosen after consultation with police and social security about the systems they use. She said the move would address problems of parents making their own recordings of meetings.

Such recordings may be edited or taken out of context, she said, and there had been examples of children’s private information being uploaded onto

social media, leading to concerns about a child being identified or shared recordings being ‘used for abusive purposes’.

Social workers had nothing to fear from being recorded, Mrs Beecroft told the court.

Clare Bettison (Douglas East) said it was unfortunate the good faith of the majority of social workers is being brought into question and the introduction of any recording system must be in a way that protects the child, their carers, but also the social workers involved.

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas will seek Tynwald approval next week for a feasibility study into a central database. He accepted some will have serious privacy concerns about the storage of personal information, and the risk of this data being leaked.

An Isle of Man investigations company has launched an initiative aimed at tackling online counterfeiting.

Douglas-based Intelect Solutions is run by Colin Tansley a former police officer and director of investigations and intelligence with FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft).

His scheme involves information gathered by his team being passed to a designated multi industry body set up to tackle the problem.

Having researched the issue extensively in recent months his company has noticed a huge spike in the availability of clothing, electrical items, luxury goods and chemicals being sold online and particularly via social media sites.

Not only will this initiative protect the rights of brand holders it will help protect people buying online during the peak Christmas shopping period.

Colin said: ‘We are delighted that Intelect Solutions is now part of a global network providing intelligence to help companies protect their goods from counterfeiters. We are already carrying out investigations to tackle this worldwide problem that costs businesses and their customers billions of pounds.

‘Christmas is obviously a peak time for people who wish to buy seasonal goods and gifts on the internet. This presents criminals and counterfeiters many, many opportunities to sell fakes to unsuspecting members of the public.

‘Some of these goods may seem a bargain but they may present a danger to the public. So this will help protect island residents.

‘We will be using an array of technology and investigative techniques to tackle this issue and have started to work closely with some significant brands.’

Intelect Solutions established itself here in 2014. his company have been delivering online investigations training and conducting investigations for a wide variety of clients for over six years. The techniques he teaches and uses to provide Enhanced Due Diligence on the Isle of Man to his customers will now be used to directly target online criminals.

This Saturday night sees Amber in Douglas play host to the Dark Horse Christmas Party. From the folks that brought you the Dark Horse Festival back in the summer, this night features acoustic singer/songwriter Lee Brooks, The Shads, Ballagroove DJ’s spinning tunes throughout the night plus Han-FX and JorDMC.

Indeed, Manx Hip-Hop supremos Han-FX and JorDMC will be using this event as a launch night for their debut EP ‘Partners in Rhyme’. Featuring six tracks, the EP, recorded and mixed at Ballagroove Studios by the legendary Gypo Buggane in the south of the island, swings between Hip-Hop, Funk and Blues, with plenty of Bass and a wall of sax thrown into the mix.

A further round up of other gigs taking place this weekend and Symbollix make their way West to Peel and to The Creek on Saturday night.

The band roots itself in mostly 70’s classic rock. The setlist combines the likes of ZZ Top, The Who, Wings, Bad Company, Whitesnake, Cream and The Rolling Stones and features John Ruscoe, George Hughes, John Ryan, Martin McEvely and Stewart Steptoe in their line-up.

Head to Jaks tomorrow night (Friday) and you’ll find Konstruktion in residence at what is now one of their regular shows at the Douglas based bar.

The two piece band made up by Joy White on vocals and Nige B on keys and vocals have their roots in live versions of dance anthems from the modern chart to ‘old skool’ classics. If a little bit of Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Rihanna and Lady GaGa at one end through to Diana Ross and Tina Turner at the other end of the spectrum takes your fancy then this will be well worth a look at.

Finally this week a future date for your diaries. Next Friday night (December 16), sees The Jeff Jepson Band, Truman Falls, Anna Goldsmith and Christy DeHaven all appear at a charity show taking place at St Ninian’s Church in Douglas from 7.30pm onwards.

Tickets can be purchased for £5 by either emailing jj@jeffjepson.co.uk or on the door on the night.

That’s all for this week! If you have anything for inclusion in The Manx Sound Exchange, please contact leachsteve@hotmail.com

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Steve Leach brings the latest rumblings, murmurings, news and views on forthcoming events in and around the island’s music scene. Help support the scene by emailing leachsteve@hotmail.com

Police have stepped up patrols after a harrowing burglary in Andreas in which a raider broke into a house while an elderly couple were at home.

Detectives and officers from the Northern Neighbourhood Policing Team are investigating the raid that took place about 8pm last night (Thursday) at a property off the Andreas Road.

Further details were posted on social media by a relative of the victims. She wrote: ‘Last night my elderly uncle and his partner were burgled on the outskirts of Andreas village with the thief walking into the front room while they were watching television and snatching what they could.

‘Among other belongings taken, this selfish crime has left an elderly man recovering from knee surgery without pain medication overnight. The thief entering the house was wearing a hoodie and goggles to try to conceal their identity.’

A police spokesman said: ‘The incident happened around 8pm where a property situated off the Andreas Road was entered by an unknown person. At the time the occupants were at home.

‘There will be increased patrols whilst the matter is investigated and the Constabulary are dealing with this as a priority.

‘We would remind everyone to take some simple steps to prevent yourself becoming a victim of crime. These include locking your doors, not leaving car keys or valuables on show and particularly on the run up to Christmas don’t leave presents under the Christmas tree.’

Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to contact CID at Police HQ on 631213 or alternatively ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

He is truly the quiet man of Manx politics.

Over the two full Tynwald sittings, one special sitting to elect the Chief Minister and six House of Keys sittings that he’s attended (he was absent on parliamentary business in England at a seventh) Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse had said just four words in parliament since he was elected.

Those four words – ‘I will second him’ – were spoken at the first sitting of the Keys on September 27 when he seconded fellow Arbory, Malew and Castletown MHK Graham Cregeen as a member of Tynwald’s standing orders committee.

Since then, we haven’t heard anything from Mr Moorhouse.

He has, however, been elected to the economic policy review committee and he has been appointed political member of the Department of Infrastructure and Department of Health and Social Care.

Presumably, he will be making spoken contributions in those roles. And it’s true to say that those who make their voices heard most don’t necessarily say the most of significance.

In the meantime, Isle of Man Newspapers will look forward to reporting on all his contributions to parliamentary debates and question time in the weeks and months to come.

Former Castle Rushen High School economics teacher Mr Moorhouse topped the poll in Arbory, Castletown and Malew in September’s general election, securing 1,066 votes.

The whole process of public consultation and engagement by government is being reviewed.

And as part of the review the Cabinet Office is going to – you’ve guessed it – consult the public!

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas told the House of Keys that the review will look at all types and levels of public engagement and how government can develop a more flexible and inclusive approach.

This will include learning from previous Isle of Man Government consultations, researching best practice from elsewhere, and exploring options for improving current ways of consulting.

Mr Thomas said a working group from across government will consider ‘how we can improve the way we develop policy from an early stage, as well as better engaging with hard-to-reach groups and addressing consultation fatigue’.

He said the Cabinet Office was inviting feedback from members of the public on their previous experiences of responding to consultations, which can be submitted via the consultations page of the government website or emailed to change@gov.im

Mr Thomas said the Cabinet Office hoped to have guidance ready by the spring of next year.

And he added: ‘I really do hope that the Isle of Man Newspapers’ headline is not going to be that ‘Government is Consulting on Consulting’, like it was on having a ‘Committee on Committees’!’

Speaker Juan Watterson noted: ‘Some things you can control – some things you can’t!’

The island is facing an obesity epidemic.

That’s the warning of the House of Keys Speaker and Rushen MHK Juan Watterson who will urge Tynwald next week to support the principle of introducing a sugar tax.

According to the last Manx lifestyle survey, there are an estimated 15,500 obese adults in the island and 1,100 who are morbidly obese.

Mr Watterson told iomtoday: ‘Our nation is facing an obesity epidemic. We are not alone, the whole of the Western world is facing a similar challenge as unhealthy foods have become the simple, quick and cheap option.

‘We should be worried as a society that the most unhealthy option is the most convenient. On average obese people in the UK take four extra sick days per year, so the effects are short-term as well as long-term. In 2012, one in five reception age children was either overweight or obese. This is not setting our children up for success in later life.’

The Speaker said education and promotion have been around for a generation or more, but the problem is getting worse not better.

He said: ‘There are lots of contributory factors, but research shows that sugary drinks is one of the most significant causes. There are others too, Hungary’s system taxes products high in sugar, fat and salt. There, consumption has fallen by 20 per cent.

‘Sugar, alcohol, and tobacco are not essentials of life. All are avoidable, all of them are bad for you, all of them are capable of abuse and all have negative societal consequences that outweigh the benefits. The alternative to sugary drink is practically free - water.

‘A sugar tax is neither simple nor popular. However, if we don’t think big - and think differently - we will never see the big changes needed in our culture and buying decisions which we will rue in our old age.’

Mr Watterson pointed out that taxes on alcohol have brought alcohol abuse and crime down while taxes on tobacco have improved cancer rates.

He said: ‘Both of these worked by challenging people’s need for them, increasing the cost and reducing demand. There is no reason that the same benefits would not accrue from a sugar tax. People would think before they buy, buy less and contribute to the cost of treatment of related illness as well as better education.’

But he accepted there is no perfect system and proposals in the UK proposals have their strengths and weaknesses. ‘We must be wary of the unintended consequences of just moving onto artificial sweeteners which have different problems,’ he added.

The Isle of Man’s pubs and hotels are joining together to offer advice on drinking over the Christmas period.

The Licensed Victuallers Association, which represents the majority of the island’s pubs and hotels, have issued a ‘Festive Five-Pointer’ to get through the coming month’s celebrations.

‘We are keen that people enjoy themselves, and we know pretty much everyone is out and drinking more often than usual,’ said Andy Saunders, chairman of the LVA. ‘But there are some risks involved in over-consumption and unsafe drinking practices.’

The LVA’s ‘Festive Five-Pointer’ is designed to help everyone celebrate the Christmas and New Year period without getting in trouble with the law - and hopefully without a hangover the next day.

Andy Saunders added, ‘This is a great time of the year for everyone, but now and again some people spoil it for others, and themselves. We hope our advice will help everyone to have a great time, and to look after each other.’

The LVA ‘Festive Five-Pointer’ suggests . .

• Drink in moderation - it’s more fun and more enjoyable to drink sensibly so that you can spend leisure time with friends and colleagues.

• Leave the car at home - Over the Christmas period, pre-book taxis if you are concerned about getting home safe, or ask the staff in the pub to organise transport for you when you are getting ready to leave; they will be pleased to help you.

• Know your own limits - Don’t drink more than usual, and stick to your limits - and don’t get carried away by other people’s antics.

• Take care of each other - Look after yourself and your friends when drinking; keep an eye on your valuables and each other’s levels of drunkenness.

• Choose your venue carefully - The safest places to drink are public houses and other hospitality outlets, where there are trained, sober and concerned people overseeing the environment.

Andy Saunders said: ‘The Licensed Victuallers all have the public’s enjoyment, safety and well-being at the heart of their operation, and we also work hard to provide vibrant, welcoming and entertaining environments in which to enjoy the festivities.

‘Remember that the staff and management of the hospitality trade are there to make your night out better, but also to act in your better interest sometimes even when you don’t agree.

‘ Please treat them with respect.

‘The Isle of Man Licensed Victuallers wishes everyone a Merry (and safe) Christmas, and look forward to seeing you all in the island’s fine hospitality venues not just at Christmas but throughout 2017 and the years ahead.’