The Council of Ministers has appointed the same MHKs as members of two departments of government which could merge, if a proposal in a recent report goes ahead.

Rushen MHK Quintin Gill and new member for West Douglas, Geoff Corkish (pictured) will serve under David Cretney at the Department of Trade and Industry and under Mr Cretney's successor, Onchan MHK Adrian Earnshaw, at the Department of Tourism and Leisure.

The report into the Future Scope and Structure of Government suggested the departments should come together, with the creation of a new Department of Economic Development.

The report was on the agenda for the November sitting of Tynwald, but any debate of the far reaching implications was left to the new parliament to consider.