Proposed population size for Jersey

WQ.475/2019

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER

BY DEPUTY J.H. PERCHARD OF ST. SAVIOUR ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 12th NOVEMBER 2019

Question

Given the response to Oral Question 251/2019, when the Assistant Chief Minister stated that he is "not in favour of infinite [population] growth", will the Chief Minister –

1. advise whether the report from the Migration Policy Development Board will include a proposed limit on the size of Jersey's population;
2. advise whether any preliminary consideration has been given to such a proposed limit and, if so, what the results of that consideration have been to date; and
3. if the report will not include proposals for such a limit, explain why not?

Answer

The terms of reference of the Board state that its purpose is: "to develop comprehensive migration policy proposals which will deliver more responsive controls over who can come to live, work and access public services in Jersey, improving consistency wherever practical and helping to reduce the Island's reliance on inward migration."

The Migration Policy Development Board published its interim report on 24th October outlining its work and the complex issues that surround this issue to help inform the debate on how to develop meaningful and sustainable migration controls in the future.

As was said in the answer to Oral Question 251/2019 ultimately it will be a question for the States Assembly as a whole to debate and agree the level of migration control that it wishes to enforce and any population targets it wishes to impose. Our current timetable suggests a debate on migration controls in early summer 2020.

Cost of Producing Answer

As a means of giving an approximate indication to the time and cost of producing an answer to a written question, it has been decided that answers shall include a cost, broken down by civil service grade:

Civil Servant Grade 12 x 20mins: £10.70 Civil Servant Grade 15 x 20mins: £15.00

Total: £25.70