Jersey politician concern over rising population

Deputy James Reed said population control plans were not working due to the rising population

Efforts to control Jersey's rising population are not working according to a group reviewing the issue.

Deputy James Reed, Chairman of the Corporate Services scrutiny panel is reviewing ways to control the number of people in the island.

The 2011 census showed population had risen to nearly 98,000 people, an increase of 10% on 2001.

Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, said the government would restrict the number of job licences.

Senator Gorst said they would only issue job licences to people outside the island where they deliver "sizeable economic value".

He said priority for available jobs and support would be given to islanders.

Deputy Reed wants to know why population controls have not worked.

He said: "At the moment we have a chief minister with overall responsibility but we also have an economic development minister responsible for the regulation and undertakings law and a housing minister responsible for the housing law.

"That is the problem, we have three ministers taking responsibility but not one is accountable."

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.