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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER BY THE DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 18TH JULY 2017
Question
Does the Chief Minister accept ministerial responsibility for the growth of the resident population by 11,900 over the last decade, as shown by the Jersey resident population estimate 2016? Is it his assessment that the level of total net inward migration in 2016 reflects a failure on the part of the Council of Ministers to control such migration and, consequently, to limit population growth?
Will he also state whether it is his assessment, as part of his work on the My Jersey' consultation, that the current rate of population growth is sustainable in the long term? What is his estimate of the resident population in 2035 and what measures does he have under consideration to provide sufficient resources for such a population size?
Answer
People generally move to Jersey to obtain work, and this is driven by our economy and the success of our business in creating jobs.
Jersey has experienced record employment growth, economic growth that is double that forecast, and the lowest employment for 6 years. In this context, it is not a surprise that net migration is high at the moment.
The Island experienced similar high levels of growth in the 1980s and the mid-2000s, during other periods of strong economic performance.
"Future Jersey" proposes that net migration should be reduced over the period to 2035. This is alongside a population policy that takes Brexit-related uncertainties into account and a range of other measures on housing.