The Health Minister has confirmed his department is already more than £1m in the red - just months into this financial year.

David Ashford revealed in a Tynwald written reply that at the end of July this year, the Department of Health and Social Care’s net spend was £69.61m against a net budget of £68.57m.

He said it was too early to say what the DHSC’s financial position would be at the end of the current financial year.

Early this year, Tynwald approved additional funding of £9.5m to cover the department’s budget overspend.

An extra £9.9m was needed in 2016 and £11.1m in 2017 - meaning that £30.5m of deficit funding has been required in the last three years.

In a Tynwald question for written answer, Speaker Juan Watterson asked the Health Minister what the DHSC’s net and budgeted spend are to date and whether he forecasts it will come in on budget in 2018-19.

Mr Ashford said that his department estimates its projected outturn on a monthly basis, with a more detailed forecast prepared quarterly.

’There is scope for significant variation in the year-end forecast and the numbers can change by material amounts each month,’ he explained.

’At the current time it remains too early to provide any certainty over the position.’

Mr Ashford added: ’A full reforecast will be prepared after the half year financial position is known, and the outcome of that forecast will be used to determine if we need to notify Treasury of a possible overspend.’