Speaker of the House of Keys Tony Brown is robustly defending the performance of Manx National Heritage, in the face of criticism from a fellow MHK.

Mr Brown, who is Vice-Chairman of MNH, is rejecting a claim from Ramsey member Anne Craine that last year visitor figures were poor across all the sites operated by the organisation.

Graham Bell reports:

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In a written reply to on one of a number of Tynwald questions on MNH issues, Mr. Brown says last year's figures held up very well.

He says in the face of generally falling tourism arrivals there have been a series of record rises in visitor figures to MNH sites across the board, in recent years.

Mr. Brown says according to official figures for the five years to 2005, tourist arrivals to the Island fell by about 10%.

In the same period visitors to MNH sites rose by about 14%.