The government is officially making it illegal to pay for sexual services.

It has been confirmed that a new bill, to be published on Thursday, will criminalise prostitution for the first time.

The legislation will make it illegal to pay for sexual services - which is not the case under the current law.

As it stands, the law only bans the soliciting of sexual services, keeping a brothel and pimping.

Meanwhile the age of consent is to be left unchanged at 17.