Jersey population controls 'not working'

Deputy James Reed said the States needed to ensure new laws would be effective

A panel of politicians is concerned Jersey's population controls are not working following census figures.

Latest figures showed 97,857 people were living in Jersey last year.

The Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel said it was concerned about how high that number was and that it would carry out a review of States policies.

New controls are due to come into force in July and the panel will investigate whether these need to be altered in light of the census figures.

The Chief Minister's department is responsible for the Population Policy, which the States agreed in 2009.

It allowed for inward migration of an average of 150 households per year on a five year rolling average and set a limit for the population of 100,000 people.

High unemployment

Vice chairman of the panel, Deputy James Reed said that when there were record numbers of people out of work, the States needed to ensure new laws were effective.

He said: "We are well aware that we have some of the highest unemployment that the island has ever seen, at a time when we're seeing the highest level of immigration coming to the island.

"We've also got the housing minister speaking about increased waiting lists for housing."

He added: "The question is what effect will the census figures have on all of those different decisions and policies we have in place."