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2020.09.08
11 Deputy T. Pointon of St. John of the Minister for Home Affairs regarding a
Domestic Abuse Law: (OQ.212/2020)
Following the Minister's undertaking to introduce proposals for a domestic abuse law in 2019, will the Minister provide an update on the progress of these proposals and set a target date for their presentation to the Assembly?
Connétable L. Norman of St. Clement (The Minister for Home Affairs):
I am grateful to the Deputy for his question but, as he knows, this is one of my top priorities. I did previously express the intention of bringing the legislation before the Assembly this year and not, I think, in 2019, as the Deputy suggested but this year. Of course it is a matter of regret that this, among other legislative work, has been delayed because of the work on the COVID-19 pandemic. But I am pleased to inform the Deputy and colleagues that work is now progressing at pace and we have an officer working on this legislation as their sole focus. Although we will not get the legislation before the Assembly this year, as I originally hoped, I am very confident we will get it to the States early next year.
The Bailiff :
If no one else wants to ask a question following this one, then final supplementary, the Deputy of St. John .
4.11.1 The Deputy of St. John :
Would the Minister please explain why it has been possible to produce a proposition to introduce Tasers to the Assembly when a pressing need for a domestic abuse law has been put aside until next year?
The Connétable of St. Clement :
The 2 clearly are not mutually exclusive. We are talking about the domestic abuse situation, a law, but the Taser Proposition is a straightforward proposition which does not require any law drafting; 2 totally different projects.
The Bailiff :
Hopefully I made my previous ruling clear, Members can ask questions following on from this question, just not a second supplementary question following on the answer given to their questions; hopefully that is clear enough.