Would the Minister update Members regarding the implementation of a sex offenders register in Jersey
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2.6 Deputy K.C. Lewis of St. Saviour of the Minister for Home Affairs regarding the implementation of a sex offenders' register in Jersey:
Would the Minister update Members regarding the implementation of a sex offenders register in Jersey?
Senator B.I. Le Marquand (The Minister for Home Affairs):
The question relates to the Sex Offenders Law. In February of this year I withdrew the proposition on this law for a number of reasons. First, there were technical issues in relation to certain Jersey criminal charges. Secondly, I needed to consider further 2 potentially controversial issues in the law. Thirdly, there was a very controversial provision for a new criminal offence I needed to consider. Fourthly, the appeal provisions in the law were wrong and thought had not been given as to whether orders that we made were criminal or civil in nature. Fifthly, the costs of implementation of the law were unclear. I subsequently discovered that the local agencies involved, principally the Police, Probation and the Children's Service, had not yet decided how the law would be implemented. In the intervening period, the first 4 items I have mentioned have been dealt with. I have made decisions as to how to proceed on them. Only the cost of implementation issue remains. Work is now being done on that and as soon as that has been done I will be in a position to lodge the law. I anticipate that that will be before the summer recess.
2.6.1 Deputy A.E. Jeune :
Could the Minister advise us whether currently the U.K. Government from their sex offenders register would notify us if anybody from that register were to come to the Island that they were aware of?
Senator B.I. Le Marquand:
I believe that the police would be made aware of that because we have excellent information and intelligence exchanges. I am not 100 per cent sure of that, but that would be consistent with the normal information exchange.