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2.1 Deputy G.P. Southern of St. Helier of the Chief Minister regarding the release of the findings of the Population Review Officer Group:
Would the Chief Minister inform Members whether the findings of the Population Review Officer Group will be released for public consultation, and if so, when?
Senator F.H. Walker (The Chief Minister):
Yes, Sir. I have always said that we would make the findings public and we will. The initial research, which runs to over 200 pages, has recently been discussed by the Council of Ministers. The Council was pleased with the level and depth of the initial analysis. The Council identified a requirement to improve our understanding of the likely development potential in St. Helier and the Waterfront, together with a review of how such a development could be planned. This will be evaluated further over the coming weeks, drawing on the forthcoming EDAW Report on St. Helier regeneration. The Council of Ministers will then reconsider their report to ensure that it presents sufficient information to support a full and balanced debate. I anticipate that the report will be published before the summer recess and full public consultation will be organised after the summer.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
The contents of this review have a great bearing on 2 issues; migration and population. When will the Minister be coming to the House with a proposition on possible potential population growth?
Senator F.H. Walker :
The Deputy is quite right. The work being undertaken does have a great bearing, and its findings will have a great bearing on both population, not just numbers, but population profile and make-up, not least the effect of the ageing population, and on migration. We will obviously be coming to the House for a full debate, but we believe it very important, because of the fundamental nature of the issue, that a full consultation programme is undertaken before we do so. So, I would anticipate that we would be in a position to come to the House either towards the end of the year or at the latest, early next year.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
With the emphasis being placed upon the ageing population, does the study conducted predispose itself towards a scenario where population is growing?
Senator F.H. Walker :
That depends on what period you look at within the forecast period conducted by the study. There are times when the population will be growing; there are times when it will be decreasing. But the Deputy , of course, will have all that information, together with all other States Members, as I already said, before the summer recess.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
Do the parameters for economic growth at 2 per cent - meaning 1 per cent growth in jobs - do those parameters still hold for the projections?
Senator F.H. Walker :
A number of different possible scenarios have been included in the report, and it will, of course, be for States Members to decide which scenario is most appropriate for the future of Jersey. In the meantime, of course, there is no question whatsoever of any change, either up or down, to the decisions reached by the States on the migration policy last year.