sentences on the Island and for foreign inmates here to go home.

Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox said it would save the taxpayer money if overseas prisoners served their sentences in their own country.

She said Government has held negotiations with Canada about signing a treaty and that it wanted the Governor's Office to seek talks with other countries.

Any formal treaty would have to be signed by the British Government because the Island does not have the power to do so.

Ms Cox said the idea was discussed at a recent meeting on the Island with the Canadian Consul General.

She said: "They had it on their wish list and we had it on ours, so there was a meeting of minds.

"We have started to get into correspondence with the Canadians and there are pro forma precedent documents we are looking at through the Deputy Governor's Office.