Party 'appalled' over minister's refusal to reveal school validation cost

Chair of the Liberal Vannin Party Paul Weatherall says the organisation is appalled after Education Minister Daphne Caine refused to answer a question about the cost of school validations.

She was granted permission by Tynwald president Lawrence Skelly to not answer the parliamentary query from Ramsey's Lib Vann MHK Lawrie Hooper about the contract for external validations.

Mrs Caine argued it wasn't in the public interest to give a figure - but the party says it sets an unwelcome and worrying precedent about access to information about government spending.

In a statement, Liberal Vannin says details of all government contracts and consultant reports should be made public - or it'll reduce already-damaged trust in the government.