Ministers come up with no solutions to tackle Jersey's rising population
Video report by ITV Channel's Caroline Lewis
Ministers will not be taking any direct action to tackle Jersey’s rising population for at least three years.
Earlier today (10 December), the Government lodged its long-awaited population policy which was tipped to outline how the island could become less dependent on migrant workers and tackle the added pressures of an aging population.
However, the 77-page-document revealed the Government had no immediate plans to reduce migration.
Instead it plans to install state-of-the-art IT systems to collect and analyse data until at least 2025.
"In order to make informed decisions we need data and we don’t have that data," said Assistant Chief Minister, Rowland Huelin.
However, when asked how much the project would cost to undertake, Deputy Huelin said it was a question "he could not answer" as not all of the project had been budgeted for.
Opposition politicians said the response just "wasn't good enough".
Jersey's population has been growing on average by 1,160 every year for the last decade.
There are also some 20,000 people who retain their right to live and work in Jersey living abroad, who could in theory return to the island at any time.
It was hoped the population policy would set out a plan for net zero migration – meaning the same amount of people move in and out of Jersey in a year.
However, the Government says any significant limits on inward migration now would cause a sudden drop in the island’s workforce and at this time, could not make a plan of how to reduce immigration.
Instead, the next electoral cycle would be used to collect data. It would be handed over to the next tranche of Ministers after that to forecast when the island might reach a stable population.
But the Assistant Chief Minister stood by the approach, saying it was a 'vision' for the island to work towards.
"To continue making ill-informed decisions on every man, woman and child in this island is irresponsible," he said.