Next year’s census could be delayed by a year because of the Covid crisis.

Policy and Reform Minister Ray Harmer confirmed the move in written Tynwald reply to a question from Rob Callister (Onchan).

He said before the Covid pandemic, initial planning had begun for the 2021 census.

But Mr Harmer said due to resources being redeployed in response to the health emergency and an expected squeeze on departments’ budgets, consideration is being given to delay it by 12 months until 2022.

He said the plan is for the next census to be online by default, with supporting options for those unable to complete a form online.

Mr Harmer said: ’Due to the planning only having been at a very early stage when it was interrupted, delaying the census by 12 months will allow for the appropriate planning and development time to be dedicated to such an important project.

’It will also help to ease budgetary pressures for the 2020-21 financial year.’

Mr Harmer said delaying the census may also lessen the risk of capturing a population in a transition period with people leaving or coming to the island due to the effects of Covid-19.

He said discussions are ongoing into the possibility of having a ’micro-census’, as used by a number of European countries, to gather demographic data ahead of the main census in 2022.