Northern Ireland Trafficking Bill Now Law after Royal Assent

[John Thomas]

New legislation to combat human trafficking has received Royal assent will become law in Northern Ireland at midnight on Tuesday night.

The Human Trafficking and Exploitation Bill was introduced as a private member’s bill by DUP MLA Lord Morrow and, in October last year, MLAs voted overwhelmingly in favour of making it a crime to pay for sex.

Lord Morrow described trafficking as “despicable” and added: “What has driven me throughout this entire process was the need to make a difference for the victims”.

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/reg...sent-1-6519261

[John Thomas]

i note that earlier threads eg empirical stated june date for the 'Act' - is it the case that effective midnight last night you are breaking the law in N Ireland by purchasing sex or is there still a phase of final legislative enactment?

[John Thomas]

its effective now

What happens after royal assent?

The legislation within the bill may come into effect immediately, after a set period or only after a commencement order by a government minister.

A commencement order is designed to bring into force the whole or part of an Act of Parliament at a date later than the date of the royal assent.

If there is no commencement order, the Act will come into force from midnight at the start of the day of the royal assent.

The practical implementation of an Act is the responsibility of the appropriate government department, not Parliament.

[bendmychasis]

So does that mean if im caught with an escort im prosacuted

[John Thomas]

So does that mean if im caught with an escort im prosacuted

yes its a criminal offence now in Northern Ireland to pay for sex

[John Thomas]

it just wont work in Northern Ireland going forward now if the menu display contains explicit sexual services. In my opinion EI need to edit out the blatant 'sexual' services ' element and display in a more discreet subtle way the profile of the escort in the same fashion as one finds in high class escort agencies in london

[John Thomas]

otherwise one could interpret EI as inciting punters to break the law in Northern Ireland ?