Lieutenant governor Before modern times the government of the Isle of Man was in the hands of the Governor (or
Lieutenant Governor), who was the representative of the Lord of Man, assisted by his Council, consisting of the other permanent officials (the Bishop, Archdeacon, Deemsters, Attorney General, etc.). The Council evolved into the
Legislative Council, the upper chamber of
Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man. After the
Revestment in 1765, the Lieutenant Governor and his officials were the agents of the
British Government, and not democratically responsible to the Manx people. Conflict between the
House of Keys (popularly elected after 1866) and the Lieutenant Governor came to a head during the tenure of
the 3rd Baron Raglan (1902–18).
Council of Ministers After the
First World War, the Lieutenant Governor gradually ceded control to
Tynwald, a process guided by the reports of commissions and other bodies in 1911, 1959 and 1969. An Executive Council, chaired by him and including members of Tynwald, was established in 1949, and gradually thereafter became the effective government of the Island. Finance and the police came under local control between 1958 and 1976. The Lieutenant Governor ceased to chair the Executive Council in 1980, being replaced by a chairman elected by Tynwald, and the council was reconstituted in 1985 to include the chairmen of the eight principal Boards; in 1986 they were given the title 'Minister' and the chairman was styled 'Chief Minister'. In 1990 the council was renamed the 'Council of Ministers'.
Departments During the 19th century several bodies, which came to be known as 'Boards of
Tynwald', were created to exercise functions under democratic control. These included the Board of Education (1872), Highway Board (1874), Asylums Board (1888), Government Property Trustees (1891) and Local Government Board (1894). However, although direct taxation was levied by
Tynwald, the Boards' freedom of action before the 1960s was limited by the Lieutenant Governor's control of the Island's budget and his power to appoint certain of their members. The structure of the Boards of Tynwald, along with other bodies variously called 'Statutory Boards' and 'Commercial Boards', became increasingly unwieldy after the 1950s, and was eventually reformed in the 1980s, when a system of 'ministerial government' was set up. The Departments and Statutory Boards which existed before the reorganisation in 2010, and their predecessors, are shown below: • Treasury, 1985–present • Finance Board, 1961–1985 • Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 1986–2010 • Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, 1946–86 • Board of Agriculture, 1914–1946 • Fisheries Board, 1927–1946 • Fishery Conservators, 1882–1927 • Forestry, Mines and Lands Board, 1950–86 • Common Lands Board, 1915–50 • Trustees of the Common Lands, 1866–1915 • Department of Education, 1987–2010 • Isle of Man Board of Education, 1946–2009 • Board of Education, 1872–99 • Council of Education, 1899–1946 • Isle of Man Education Authority, 1923–68 • Isle of Man Central Education Authority, 1920–23 • Department of Health and Social Security, 1986–2010 • Health Services Board, 1948–86 • Mental Hospital Board, 1932–48 • Asylums Board, 1888–1932 • Board of Social Security, 1970–86 • Board of Social Services, 1946–70 • Health Insurance and Pensions Board, 1939–46 • Old Age Pensions and National Health Insurance Board, 1920–39 • Department of Transport, 2004–2010 • Department of Highways, Ports and Properties 1986–2004 • Isle of Man Highway and Transport Board, 1946–86 • Highway Board, 1874–1946 • Committee of Highways, 1776–1874 • Isle of Man Harbour Board, 1948–86 • Isle of Man Harbour Commissioners, 1872–1948 • Commissioners for Harbours, 1771–1872 • Isle of Man Airports Board, 1948–86 • Government Property Trustees, 1891–1986 • Department of Home Affairs, since 1986 • Home Affairs Board, 1981–86 • Isle of Man Police Board, 1962–81 • Isle of Man Broadcasting Commission, 1965–81 • Civil Defence Commission, 1955–81 • Department of Trade and Industry, 1996–2010 • Department of Industry, 1986–1996 • Industry Board, 1981–86 • Department of Local Government and the Environment, 1986–2010 • Local Government Board, 1894–1986 • Department of Tourism and Leisure, 1994–2010 • Department of Tourism and Transport, 1986–2004 • Tourist Board, 1952–86 • Publicity Board, 1931–52 • Board of Advertising, 1904–31 • Advertising Committee, 1897–1904 • Isle of Man Passenger Transport Board, 1982–86 • Manx Electric Railway Board, 1957–82 • Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading, since 1998 • Board of Consumer Affairs (1981–1998) • Consumer Council (1972–1981) • Financial Supervision Commission, since 1982 • Insurance and Pensions Authority, since 1996 • Insurance Authority, 1986–96 • Isle of Man Post Office (1993) • Isle of Man Post Office Authority (1972–93) • Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority, since 2010 • Isle of Man Water Authority (1985–2010) • Isle of Man Water and Gas Authority (1974–1985) • Isle of Man Water Authority (1972–1974) • Isle of Man Gas Authority (1972–1974) • Isle of Man Water Board (1946–1972) • Manx Electricity Authority, since 1983 • Isle of Man Electricity Board (1932–1984) • Communications Commission (1989) • Telecommunications Commission (1985–1989) • Gambling Supervision Commission, up to present ==References==