Letter - Children's Commissioner re P.43/2026 CRIA - 23 March 2026

Published on: 23 March 2026

Panel: Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Panel

This content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments. Please see the PDF for the official version of the document.

States Greffe

Dr Carmel Corrigan

Children's Commissioner for Jersey By Email

23rd March 2026

Dear Dr Corrigan,

Re: P.43/2026 – Draft Dogs Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations

Thank you for your letter of 18 March and for the constructive engagement from you and your officers throughout the development of the Panel's amendment to the Draft Dogs Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations.

The Panel is grateful for the careful assessment the Office of the Children's Commissioner has provided, particularly in relation to the potential implications for children and young people. We also appreciate your helpful commentary on the draft CRIA screener and the broader issues that arise from the current provisions of the Dogs Law.

After careful consideration, the Panel has decided to proceed with lodging its amendment for debate, and will present a full Children's Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) accordingly. The Panel recognises that the understanding of the requirement for a full CRIA evolved late in the process. While we fully appreciate the reasons underpinning your recommendations, the timing presented practical constraints for the Panel in terms of withdrawing and re-lodging the proposition at this stage in the legislative timetable. We felt it was important to proceed while still ensuring that the Assembly is provided with a full and transparent assessment of any potential impacts on children's rights.

The Panel also acknowledges your recommendation that further amendments to the wider Dogs Law be considered in the future, particularly in relation to definitions of ownership and responsibility. We agree that any such work should be supported by a full CRIA at an early stage, and we will reflect this within the Panel's legacy report to assist our successors.

I would like to reiterate the Panel's appreciation for your engagement and for the expertise your Office brings to improving policy outcomes for children and young people.

Yours sincerely,

Deputy Hilary Jeune

Chair, Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Panel