There are no plans for the government to regulate escort agencies, says Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas.

In Tynwald this week Mr Thomas was asked, by Speaker Juan Watterson, whether he would introduce regulations following the revelation earlier this month that a website was offering an escort service in the Isle of Man.

The Minister said: ’I presume the Speaker’s question has arisen after the publicity received in the local news in respect of an escort agency.

’When considering the impact of a new piece of regulation, we must consider whether there is enough evidence to support its implementation.

’At this time, I am not sure there is enough evidence to support the development and implementation of a new regulatory regime.’

But Mr Watterson said there was a danger that vulnerable women could be exploited and a risk of the involvement of ’people trafficking potentially in the Isle of Man, should this industry become more widespread’.

For that reason, he said, regulation could become necessary.

Mr Thomas told Tynwald the introduction of any regulatory or licensing regime had cost implications.

’We need to be very careful with the expenditure of public money on regulating things or even licensing things that do not need to be,’ he said.

He suggested it could be better to leave it to the courts to deal with any crimes committed under the Sexual Offences Act.

That legislation, he added, was due to be reviewed soon in a process that would also involve public consultation.

Mr Thomas also referred to the UK approach to such businesses, causing mirth among many colleagues by stating: ’The position in the UK is very light touch.’

As the Manx Independent reported earlier this month, the babes.im website offers the company of women at a rate of £100 for 30 minutes or £130 for 45 minutes.

It promises its Isle of Man escorts will ’do everything to make your time with them an enjoyable one’.

But it insists fees are for companionship only.

’Should anything else occur, it is on the strict understanding that it will be a matter of choice between two consenting adults,’ it adds.

Babes.im says escorts are available throughout the whole of the Isle of Man.

The website initially contained a portfolio of ’beautiful babes’ and listed four Manx mobile numbers to call, but those details have since been removed.

The domain of the website is registered to a Douglas address and, writing on Facebook, Victoria Caldwell confirmed that her company had designed the site for the escort agency.