THE States agreed yesterday to update Jersey’s Data Protection Law to bring it in line with the UK and Europe.

While approval was overwhelmingly given for the lengthy law, taken in batches of articles on standing votes, Deputy Jerry Dorey was successful in amending Article 13.

This covered compensation for those who suffered from breaches of the law.

Deputy Dorey was concerned that the right of the individual to claim redress would be neutralised by Article 32 which related to exempting the media and writers from breaching Data Protection if the information released was in the public interest.

While he was in favour of the freedom of the press, Deputy Dorey did not want to see individuals suffer, especially in a small community such as Jersey.

His amendment will strengthen the right of an individual to claim compensation for any distress as a result of a beach of the law.

Finance rapporteur Senator Philip Ozouf refused to accept the amendment but Members supported it by 21 votes to 15.

At the start of the debate Senator Ozouf said Jersey was the last Crown Dependency to update its Data Protections Law and because of international obligations had no choice but to comply with UK and EU changes over the past ten years.