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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER BY DEPUTY S.S.P.A. POWER OF ST. BRELADE ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 15th JULY 2013
Question
Further to his response to a written question from Deputy G.P. Southern of St. Helier on 2nd July 2013, what information is the Chief Minister's Department studying, awaiting or appraising, in addition to the various reports produced by the Statistics Unit since the first 2011 Census report, in order to bring a report to the States so that Members can consider and then debate the future population strategy?
In the aforementioned response a reference was made to the consideration of the economy, the environment and the community and the type of Island "we" want, would the Chief Minister elaborate on this?
Answer
The Council of Ministers recognises that population, including attitudes to inward and outward migration, is of great interest to Islanders, which is why it was a strategic priority.
At the same time, the Council also included a priority to develop sustainable long term planning, recognising that there are a number of important long term issues that will affect the Island over the next 15-25 years, for example, our ageing population and the changing global economic environment.
These types of issues need to be addressed with co-ordinated strategies that deliver sustainability and liveability in the longer term, balancing economic, community and environmental considerations. It is therefore vitally important that we consider population policy in this context for future generations, and not in isolation.
The Council is currently reviewing what other jurisdictions are doing, including best practice, and what Islanders have said in previous consultations of this nature. In addition, work is underway to assess the long term consequences for our Island of different immigration scenarios based on the Statistics Unit Population Model, for example, with reference to housing, public services, and our economy.
In the autumn, we will be engaging with Islanders on a proposed vision, with a view to bringing forward a sustainable long-term strategy, including population, for debate in the first quarter of 2014.