THE chance for police to vet foreign nationals wanting to work in the Island will move a step closer next year.

At present Jersey does not have an agreement to access criminal records of individuals for EU member states. The only information available to police at present is whether or not a foreign national is the subject of an ongoing police investigation or prosecution.

But improved electronic software to be implemented at the beginning of next year will make it easier to deal with requests for disclosure of conviction information by Jersey and EU member states.

The development will move EU member states closer to the eventual establishment of the European Criminal Records Information System, whose aim is to link all EU member states’ criminal record databases to each other. Home Affairs Minister Wendy Kinnard said that the system would provide detailed information and broader automated access to criminal conviction data across the EU.