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3.20 Deputy T.A. Vallois of the Minister for Economic Development regarding how businesses had been affected by the refusal of licences through the Regulation of Undertakings and Development (Jersey) Law 1973.
Could the Minister advise how businesses have been affected by the refusal of 565 employee licences through the Regulation of Undertakings and Development (Jersey) Law 1973?
Senator A.J.H. Maclean (The Minister for Economic Development):
If I may I will pass to my other Assistant Minister who has responsibility for that.
Connétable L. Norman of St. Clement (Assistant Minister for Economic
Development - rapporteur):
Most businesses in Jersey hold 3-year staffing licences capping the numbers of non- locally qualified staff they can engage. The 565 figure relates to capacity to engage non-locally qualified persons removed from these businesses. The removal of capacity will require these businesses to look to locally-qualified staff when recruiting. No capacity is removed from licences without great care and the ability to appeal direct to myself and the Migration Advisory Group and this approach means businesses engage locals instead of non-locals, which must be right, and it might be interesting to note that in the 12 months ending December 2010 locally-qualified employment as a result of this approach and other things increased by 260 while non- locally qualified employment went down by 320.
- Deputy T.A. Vallois:
Could the Assistant Minister advise what type of assessment they carry out when looking at these in terms of capacity and whether they get economic advice from the Chief Minister's Department?
The Connétable of St. Clement :
We would seek advice from the Economic Adviser if it was thought appropriate, but what we do is to establish the current licensing arrangements, the number of locally- qualified and non locally-qualified on the licence. We look at the manpower returns to see what they are employing over a period of time and make a decision based on those factors including the availability of potential staff through Social Security from the unemployment list.
- Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier:
To what extent is the increase in locally-qualified employment simply the movement of people from unqualified to locally-qualified at the 5-year point?
The Connétable of St. Clement :
Clearly that would have some impact but it is impossible to know the quantum.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
Is it still the case that the proportion of non locally-qualified to qualified stays the same in terms of the jobs available but in fact the local jobs are often carrying vacancies?
The Connétable of St. Clement :
Most businesses certainly would have a certain level of capacity but if they wanted to expand and have additional employees we would expect them to increase the locally- qualified rather than the non locally-qualified and the quantum, the percentage between the two, is increasing in favour of locals. I think that is proven by the figures which I gave just now.
- Senator S.C. Ferguson:
Does the Assistant Minister have a breakdown of the industries in which these 565 employees might have worked?
The Connétable of St. Clement :
The Assistant Minister has not yet had a breakdown [Laughter] but it is true to say that the capacity for non locally-qualified has been reduced across the majority of industries including hospitality, is one I can remember in particular, the retail sector as well. One area where it has not quite so much is construction which has seen employment at its highest levels for some 15 years. But generally it is across the board.
- Deputy T.A. Vallois:
In terms of the assessment of capacity for the businesses when determining licences could the Assistant Minister advise how the information feeds through to the newly formed Skills Executive, if at all?
The Connétable of St. Clement :
I cannot answer that question in detail but what we do have on the Migration Advisory Group where these things are discussed is the Assistant Minister for Social Security. At officer level we do have very close communication between Social Security and the Skills Executive so the information is shared between the various departments to ensure that the maximum opportunities for locally-qualified people for employment are there.
The Deputy Bailiff :
We come now to what is going to be the final question. We have 3 minutes of this part of question time left.
The Deputy of St. John :
Sir, could I ask that we lift Standing Orders for the last 2 questions, given that this is the last time we will have before September to put questions, and therefore I ask that the House lifts Standing Orders.
The Deputy Bailiff :
Standing Orders in their entirety? So anybody can say anything and speak for the rest of the day.
The Deputy of St. John :
We have done this in the past. We have lifted Standing Orders for question time and I ask that we do this and finish this particular question.
The Deputy Bailiff :
This has been disallowed in the past, Deputy , and I regret to say it cannot be so allowed. You now have 45 seconds.