The official version of this document can be found via the PDF button.
The below content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments.
19-21 Broad Street | St Helier Jersey | JE2 4WE
Senator Steve Pallett
Chair, Migration and Population Review Panel
BY EMAIL
21 January 2021 Dear Steve,
Thank you for your correspondence informing me of the setting up of the Migration and Population Review Panel, your intention to undertake a review of P.137/2020 – Migration Control Policy, and your terms of reference.
As indicated in my previous response, dated 25 November 2020 to the Chair of the Scrutiny Liaison Committee's on the intended review of P.137/20, I believe that the views of Scrutiny form an important part in developing an effective population policy and I welcome your interest and input on this important subject. I also indicated how mindful I was of the stated desire of Scrutiny, States Members and the public to see action on this subject as a matter of urgency, and that P.120/2020 required the Council of Ministers to bring forward a population policy for debate by the end of 2021. As I did not wish to unduly delay progressing P.137/20 in a timely manner, in that letter, I agreed to defer the debate from 1December 2020, until 9February 2021 in order that the review could be completed, and requested that the Scrutiny report be published no later than 25January 2021 to meet this timeline.
I therefore have to admit my surprise that a call for evidence is only now going out on 20 January 2021.
On 5 March 2020 the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel was given a full briefing on the Migration Policy Development Board's (MPDB) final report (R.20/2020 published 6 March 2020), from which the proposals of P.137 are drawn. On 19 October 2020 the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel was briefed by the Assistant Chief Minister on P.137/20, and on 20 October 2020 States Members were given a briefing on P.137/20, ahead of P.137/20's lodging on the same day. I would therefore hope that the content of the proposals within P.137/20 do not come as a surprise to the review panel.
Whilst I am content to assist Scrutiny in their review of this proposition your request to further delay the debate, until 2March 2021, will almost certainly have consequences and knock on effects to this and other policies.
Taking all of this into account, I am content to support you with a further short delay, and deferment of P.137 until 2March 2021 to complete your review of this proposition.
In order that the Council of Ministers has the necessary time to consider and respond to your Scrutiny report, I ask that you publish your Scrutiny report no later than 15 February 2021, and that any amendments are lodged by 16 February 2021, in order that I can ensure that this important debate takes place without further delay on 2March 2021.
I note that you request Deputy Judy Martin to attend as part of your review. Just to be clear, once the PDB had completed its work, and in particular as the proposition was being crafted, Deputy Martin played less of an active role, which was taken up by Deputy Rowland Huelin, who was also a member of the MPDB, and who now holds the position of Assistant Chief Minister with responsibility for migration and population matters. It may therefore be more appropriate to ensure that Deputy Huelin is actively involved in your review, as well as Deputy Martin.
I would be grateful for your confirmation of agreement with the above points. Kind regards,
Senator John Le Fondré Chief Minister