Eight-year-old Sarah was murdered in July 2000

The couple were welcomed by repesentatives of all the political parties in the assembly.

Speaking outside Stormont on Tuesday, Sarah's mother Sara said: "It's really nice to find here politicians coming to meet us to support us. It's quite a turnaround for us to what we are used to.

Mr Payne said: "We are used to fighting with politicians to get them to listen. They are not willing to listen in England."

The Payne family has been campaigning for legislation that gives parents the right to know if a convicted paedophile is living in their locality.

"We do believe that it's not as much our right to know anymore as it's more a case of it's not your right to keep this information from us," said Mrs Payne.

A DUP assembly member has tabled a motion for debate calling on the home secretary to introduce fresh legislation.

Edwin Poots said he believed the law would be changed in the Province when criminal justice issues were devolved after the next election.

"The whole procedure for obtaining convictions needs to be looked at," he said.

'Raise awareness'

In February, Mrs Payne called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to appoint a minister for victims of crime.

Other members of the group included Denise Fergus, mother of Liverpool toddler James Bulger, Maureen Harvey, mother of road rage victim Lee Harvey and Frances Hogg, whose daughter Andrea Dykes was killed in the Admiral Duncan bombing in Soho.

Mrs Payne said they wanted to raise awareness for victims.

A Home Office spokesperson said the government would consider the letter and was committed to reducing crime and providing victim support.