Can the Minister give an update as to when the population register will be introduced and inform us whether original timescales will be met
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2.10 Deputy J.A. Martin of the Deputy Chief Minister regarding the introduction of the population register:
Can the Minister give the Assembly an update as to when the population register will be introduced and inform us whether original timescales will be met?
Senator T.A. Le Sueur (The Deputy Chief Minister):
I think Members will be aware a consultation document on the population register was issued in December 2007. I understand that the Migration Advisory Group will publish its report within the next 2 weeks on the public consultation and its response. The intention remains to introduce the population register along with the rest of the migration policy by the end of 2009 as originally scheduled.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
Is the Assistant Chief Minister aware of the most recent furore around identity cards in the U.K. whereby the proposal to outsource identity cards is met with horror because it would be relatively straightforward to forge the fingerprints attached to them. There is no public body associated with that? The progress of identity cards in the U.K. is stalled; likewise is our own scheme - which mirrors the identity card scheme - also stalled?
Senator T.A. Le Sueur :
The Deputy Chief Minister is aware of the furore in the U.K. but I would be very chary about comparing like with unlike. They are not totally similar but certainly the concerns expressed in general terms about the U.K., I think, have been reflected in the comments received by the Migration Advisory Group. When that report is published I am sure that the reports will be highlighted there and it will be for that group to recommend to the States what action they should take as a result of that. But my understanding is that the intention of the Migration Advisory Group is to keep any requirements as simple as possible and not to try to have a complicated all-singing, all-dancing register which might incur the sort of concerns that the Deputy expresses.
- Deputy J.A. Martin:
Just a quick one. Can the Minister then confirm if the timescale is going to be late 2009 for the population register? In the review of the Island Plan remit in Jersey 2035 there was going to be a debate in early January or February 2009; is that still on? Will we have the debate on the population to be before we know what the population is? That is my question.
Senator T.A. Le Sueur :
As I understand it, the timetable is that a report will be published later this year but a debate would be held early in 2009 with the intention that following that debate or debates - because I think there would probably be a debate in 2 parts - following that debate early in 2009 the details could be worked out during the year so that the thing could be implemented by the end of 2009.