Home Affairs trims legislative workload to meet capacity limits

Jane Poole-Wilson says the Department is prioritising “deliverable objectives”

The Justice and Home Affairs Minister has outlined the Department of Home Affairs’ priorities for the year ahead, as she presents the 2025-26 Department Plan to Tynwald.

Jane Poole-Wilson says the plan focuses on delivering core pieces of legislation designed to strengthen justice, security and public safety, while acknowledging that some measures will have to wait beyond the current administration.

Among the Bills expected to progress through the branches this year are the Justice Reform (Amendment) Bill, the Extradition Bill, and new legislation covering fire safety, fire services, and national infrastructure security.

Work is also continuing on an updated Regulation of Surveillance (Amendment) Bill, which would expand police powers to access digital devices and introduce safeguards for facial recognition technology.

The Department says all of these items are now “on track”, with consultations and drafting work either complete or scheduled in the coming months.

However, several longer-term reforms - including new legislation on firearms, hate crime, and sentencing - have been postponed until the next administration, alongside an overhaul of the Island’s information-sharing framework and replacement of older surveillance laws.

Other Bills, such as amendments to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2008, have been delayed following complex public consultations and international compliance updates.

On secondary legislation, the Department reports steady progress on liquor licensing, jury eligibility, and police regulations, while technical work on modern slavery, performance, and sexual offences regulations remains ongoing.

The minister says the plan reflects the Department’s need to prioritise limited drafting resources on “the most critical and deliverable objectives” before the end of the current parliamentary term.

Alongside its legislative programme, the plan confirms continued work on domestic abuse prevention, the Blue Light Strategy, the Securing Our Island initiative, and preparations for the 2026 MONEYVAL evaluation of the Island’s anti-money-laundering regime.