The Brussels connection

[Shake me up Judy]

Starting a new thread as the old ones on this topic are well out of date.

I see we're retaining the services of our man in Brussels, even after the U.K. have left the E.U. and Protocol 3 ends. Only £100,000 p.a. His importance is crucial according to HQ in Tynwald.

I wonder what tangible information we've received from this chap over the ten (?) years or so that we've employed his services ? Can it be quantified ? I wonder what he does all week in between filing his reports ? What's his golf handicap ?

 

[Neil Down]

Crucial to what or who?

[quilp]

Quayle's mumbled response to Edge's question is as vague as they come. So does it mean we've a London office and a Brussels office? Why would the Isle of Man need both? And why, with the imminence of Brexit is it "even more important" to know what's going on, surely we have no real influence on the EU day to day or long term? Brussels will do what it feels it has to do anyway and what's in its best interests. The concerns and machinations of a self-interested little tax haven will be last on its list. 

[Andy Onchan]

1 hour ago, quilp said:

Quayle's mumbled response to Edge's question is as vague as they come. So does it mean we've a London office and a Brussels office? Why would the Isle of Man need both? And why, with the imminence of Brexit is it "even more important" to know what's going on, surely we have no real influence on the EU day to day or long term? Brussels will do what it feels it has to do anyway and what's in its best interests. The concerns and machinations of a self-interested little tax haven will be last on its list. 

I'm pretty sure the 'City' office was closed at least two years ago.

[2112]

2 hours ago, Shake me up Judy said:

Starting a new thread as the old ones on this topic are well out of date.

I see we're retaining the services of our man in Brussels, even after the U.K. have left the E.U. and Protocol 3 ends. Only £100,000 p.a. His importance is crucial according to HQ in Tynwald.

I wonder what tangible information we've received from this chap over the ten (?) years or so that we've employed his services ? Can it be quantified ? I wonder what he does all week in between filing his reports ? What's his golf handicap ?

 

I think you will find that’s the cost of running the office, and the cost of the Manx ‘Ferrerro Roche, you are spoiling us’ Ambassador is another salary we are paying. Coupled with the Civil Services External Affairs team, an expensive amount, hope it brings in a good return?

[Holte End]

3 hours ago, Shake me up Judy said:

I wonder what tangible information we've received from this chap over the ten (?) years or so that we've employed his services ? Can it be quantified ? I wonder what he does all week in between filing his reports ? What's his golf handicap ?

I would be more inclined to find out, who reads what he sends.

They completely missed some very important issue, like the co-operation in tax matters with European Jurisdictions  meeting in London  May 2017.

But then again they could save £100k by just reading this

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en

 

 

[Donald Trumps]

Cost is shared with Scotland, according to Quayle - who I think went on to term the mans work as 'jolly useful' or something like that

[Donald Trumps]

You do wonder if Quayle goes home of an evening with written pieces of witty homely banter prepared earlier by the Cabinet Office Communications Team

[Shake me up Judy]

8 minutes ago, Donald Trumps said:

Cost is shared with Scotland, according to Quayle - who I think went on to term the mans work as 'jolly useful' or something like that

The phrase 'jolly useful' was once a gentleman's scientific metric; Establishment lingo for a reliable measure of worth and value. That's enough to get you on the payroll.    

[Roger Mexico]

30 minutes ago, Donald Trumps said:

Cost is shared with Scotland, according to Quayle - who I think went on to term the mans work as 'jolly useful' or something like that

I think 'costs shared with Scotland' means that we rent an office off them at Scotland House, Brussels.

I probably commented on this before, but it's amazing just how little you can find out about the Brussels Office.  You'd think the whole purpose of it would be so people can contact it for help, but its existence is well hidden - no wonder Julie Edge assumed it had been shut down.  There no mention or links on the External Relations page or nothing showing independently.  The only contact info is on the British Chamber of Commerce site, and that's just an address (which is the same as Scotland House).

The only reason why we know the name of Our Man in Brussels is because the local media reported his appointment a couple of years ago (he moved from the City of London's Office which is also at Rond Point Schuman 6, which is cosy).  But I could find little evidence of his activities otherwise.

[quilp]

Thanks Roger. I would think a full explanation of the advantages and benefits of this appointment would be in order but like a lot of questions asked in the house very little is actually answered. Will Edge pursue it? I very much doubt it.