THE Liberal Vannin Party has described the Office of Fair Trading's (OFT) decision not to publish the results of an investigation into Steam Packet prices as 'spineless'.

The investigation aimed to look into the prices charged by the company for passenger and freight services between 2004 and 2009.

However it will not be completed and its findings will not be published.

The Office said it was clear that "any published findings of the investigation would be largely historical and any conclusions and recommendations would potentially be no longer relevant".

The report would not have been able to address changes to the company and issues arising since 2009.

However the Liberal Vannin Party believes the report should be published.

Party leader Peter Karran MHK said: "Given that public money has been spent on this report, the people of the Isle of Man have a right to be made aware of the report's conclusion.

"Incidences such as this – and there are many others – only serve to highlight the importance of the next government instituting a robust Freedom of Information Act, legislation so vociferously trumpeted in 2006 by the previous administration as a major priority.

"The OFT is seriously lacking in backbone and appears to be toothless or, if it does have any teeth, seems woefully disinclined to use them.

"The operative word in 'Office of Fair Trading' is 'fair' – but what is fair about a government body that is patently shielding a company that currently enjoys a monopoly on passenger sailings from public scrutiny?

"In this I'm inclined to adapt a phrase from US military policy: 'Don't bother to ask because we won't tell.'"

Also see: Findings of Steam Packet investigation will not be released

              Steam Packet responds to news of dropped investigation