A sexual assault referral centre for victims in the island is unlikely to be ready this year.

That’s the admission from Health Minister David Ashford, a year on from the government having identified a building for such a centre.

He said progress on the scheme was delayed by the pandemic and pledged an update by December.

In a response to a Tynwald question from Tanya August-Hanson MLC, Mr Ashford said the centre was a joint project between the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department of Home Affairs.

’It is an important project to ensure that victims of sexual assault are able to be seen in a timely and professional manner on island and provided with the support and guidance they need,’ he said.

’The progress of this project was unfortunately delayed by Covid-19 but has now been restarted.

’We are aiming to use existing clinical buildings to reduce the build time and cost.’

But he said there was not yet a ’detailed schedule of works’ and therefore it was difficult to give a timeframe.

He said he would be able to give more details to the December Tynwald sitting.

Police, the DHSC and DHA have identified the need for a referral service for adult and child victims in the island and the centre was intended to be part of that.

Meanwhile, in response to a separate question from Ms August-Hanson, Home Affairs Minister Graham Cregeen said work was underway to implement the provisions of both the Domestic Abuse Bill and the Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Bill.

He said: ’My department is formulating implementation plans for both bills in accordance with its usual practices and is currently in the process of recruiting an officer, to a vacancy, to assist in this process.’

Ms August-Hanson quit the DHA in May.