Letter - to Assistant Chief Minister re Common Population Policy - 7 January 2022

Published on: 7 January 2022

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Senator John Le Fondré

States Greffe: Scrutiny

Deputy Rowland Huelin, Assistant Chief Minister By email

7th January 2022

Dear Deputy Huelin,

Migration and Population Review Panel Common Population Policy Actions

The Panel has noted, as part of its review of the Common Population Policy, that there are a number of actions for 2022 explored in the proposed policy, which will aid in meeting the aim of the Council of Ministers to progressively reduce Jersey's reliance on net inward migration within the currently agreed common strategic policy. The proposed policy also suggests a number of actions that should take place following 2022, highlighting that it will be for the next Council of Ministers to determine a more comprehensive set.

It is understood that many of these have previously been outlined in Government Plans, however, it would be useful to identify timelines for these actions. As such the Panel would be grateful if you could provide the originally predicted dates for implementation of each of the 2022 actions when they were first announced and any update to those dates since the lodging of P.116/2021. The Panel also requests that potential timings of the "Actions beyond 2022" be provided. For ease a full list of the actions have been appended to this letter.

As you will be aware the Panel is conducting its review to a tight timescale and would be grateful if you could respond by Wednesday 19th January 2022.

Yours sincerely

Senator Steve Pallett

Chair, Migration & Population Review Panel cc. Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré


Making better use of data
Minister	Topic	Actions for 2022	Original deadline date	Projected deadline date
All Ministers	Data	Improve co-ordination between and within departments to share data and agree common forecasting assumptions.
All Ministers	Develop Island Indicators for population policy	Review existing performance framework and extend to collect data on performance across all relevant areas
Chief Minister	Census analysis and publication	Publish 2021 Census results. Report on the size and structure of Jersey's resident population, including age, sex, employment and health status of islanders
Chief Minister	Data collection and publication	Implement new IT systems that maintain and report on detailed information in respect of migrant workers and their employers.
Chief Minister	Data collection and publication	Complete the Living Cost and Household Income Survey (LCHIS) - measuring the income distribution and spending of households in Jersey to produce information on household incomes, relative low income, income inequality, and to maintain an accurate RPI. Interim analyses from the 2021-22 LCHIS will be available in time for the new Council of Ministers' Common Strategic Policy.
Chief Minister	Data collection and publication	Progress legislation to amend and enhance the Statistics Law.
Chief Minister	Expert Body	Agree remit and terms of reference for, and then recruit experts to new expert body.
Chief Minister	Data collection and publication	Commence project to create links between administrative data sources within government.
Chief Minister and Minister for International Development	Improve public access to and awareness of population data and current issues	As more data becomes available, ensure that good communication channels exist with all parts of the Jersey community to support the dissemination of accurate information and to allow everyone to participate in the ongoing population debate.
Chief Minister and Minister for International Development	Improve public access to and awareness of population data and current issues	As more data becomes available, ensure that good communication channels exist with all parts of the Jersey community to support the dissemination of accurate information and to allow everyone to participate in the ongoing population debate.
Minister for the Environment	Improved data collection and forecasting across government	Develop a long-term infrastructure roadmap for Jersey to inform short- and long-term strategic policymaking and help to understand the costs and consequences for the environment, economy and wider society of future infrastructure choices, including the impact of the Carbon Neutral Roadmap.
Minister for Health and Social Services	Improved data collection and forecasting across government	Start detailed planning and modelling of the health and social care needs of the population to assess the future needs of the island and develop a comprehensive needs assessment.

Minister for Social Security	Improved data collection and forecasting across government	Undertake actuarial reviews of ring- fenced funds.
Minister for Treasury and Resources	Improved data collection and forecasting across government	Introduce a Combined Employer Return from the start of 2022 to provide for a single monthly employment return, bringing together tax, social security and manpower information on workers.
Encouraging and enhancing productive activity within the resident population
Minister	Topic	Actions for 2022	Original deadline date	Projected deadline date
Chief Minister	GOJ as employer	Develop, attract, and retain internal and on island talent through access to a range of skills development programmes
Chief Minister	GOJ as employer	Continue to develop and enhance public sector working conditions including the supportive culture programme in Team Jersey, planning for the delivery of new technology platforms, and new OneGov headquarters.
Chief Minister	GOJ as employer	Internships: Continue to provide paid internships to local graduates across diverse range of public sector career opportunities.
Minister for Children and Education	Education – Supporting every child and young person to achieve their full potential in the adult world	Education Reform Programme - This programme will continue through 2022 building on the work completed in 2021. Further releases of new resources will enhance the drive to raise standards of teaching and learning across the entire Government-provided system.
Minister for Children and Education	Education – Supporting every child and young person to achieve their full potential in the adult world	Complete the assessment of the tertiary / post 16 and Higher Education requirements for the island and develop a strategy for future higher and further education provision.
Minister for Children and Education	Education – Supporting every child and young person to achieve their full potential in the adult world	Complete the review of student finance, to provide for a new funding model from 2023, with the aim of encouraging graduates to return to Jersey.
Minister for Children and Education	Education – Supporting every child and young person to achieve their full potential in the adult world	Inclusion Implementation Roadmap' – define the barriers to inclusion and develop a Common Framework for Inclusive Practice' in schools and settings.
Minister for Children and Education	Education – Supporting every child and young person to achieve their full potential in the adult world	Develop and introduce an integrated intensive support service for young people considered to be the most vulnerable, at risk or risk to others.
Minister for Children and Education	Education – Supporting every child and young person to achieve their full potential in the adult world	Make good progress on the Mont a L'Abbé extension project to provide a fit for purpose Key stage 5 provision and enhance the transition experience for 16+ pupils.
Minister for Children and Education	Education – Supporting every child and young person to achieve their full potential in the adult world	Deliver the Digital Education Review and Training Strategy in partnership with the Digital Jersey Academy
Minister for Children and Education	Skills for a well-trained workforce	Retraining Strategy - Review and enhance the range of existing training available and identify future schemes to support social mobility through career changes and upskilling.
Minister for Children and Education			Skills for a well-trained workforce	Skills recovery programme - continue to support adults of all ages who need training and re-skilling support, working with the Jersey Employer Group and individual industry bodies.
Minister for Children and Education			Skills for a well-trained workforce	Apprenticeships - develop a revised scheme, aimed at incentivising priority demands from year to year
Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture			Productivity	Review the 2021 Productivity Support Scheme pilot and launch a new Productivity Scheme for 2022 to enable businesses to enhance their productivity levels through investment
Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture			Productivity	Deliver a new Rural Economy Strategy for 2022-2027 which will include provision of a Rural Support Scheme and Rural Initiatives Scheme to support increased productivity, greater alignment with local consumption and judicious use of our island's resources.
Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture			Productivity	Work with Visit Jersey to support growth of the visitor economy throughout the year, with particular focus on the shoulder months of the season.
Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture			Economy – building a sustainable economy for the future	Future Economy Programme - Deliver a public facing economic strategy detailing the Government's long-term vision and aspiration for the future of Jersey's economy. This will be supplemented by new strategic alignment and policy prioritisation tools.
Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture			Economy – building a sustainable economy for the future	Economic Recovery - Lead the ongoing recovery from the Covid-19 crisis to support the creation of a sustainable, vibrant economy and skilled workforce for the future.
Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture			Technology – taking advantage of new developments	Digital Health programme - Pilot digital and other innovative support / proactive schemes to enable people with care needs to remain living in their own home
Minister for the Environment			Technology – taking advantage of new developments	Encourage the use of green technology by local businesses
Minister for Health and Social Services			Participation	Continue to develop the Jersey Care Model, which emphasises preventative measures to support a healthy population.
Minister for Housing and Communities			Participation	Encourage the use of Modern Methods of Construction in residential developments
Minister for Social Security			Participation	Instruct Employment Forum in 2022 to review minimum wage rate for 2023.
Social Security			Participation	Compete the review of support for workers claiming contributory benefits due to ill health to create a system that intervenes early to support workers to remain active within the labour market and minimises the impact of ill health on the individual worker and the overall economy.

More Responsive Controls

Minister			Topic	Actions for 2022	Original deadline date	Projected deadline date
Chief Minister			CHWL controls	Gain approval for primary law changes
Chief Minister			CHWL controls	Develop secondary legislation and seek States Assembly approval
Chief Minister	CHWL controls	Develop and publish policy guidelines to support decision making under new controls
Chief Minister	CHWL controls	Set up political panel to oversee decisions and reviews
Chief Minister	CHWL controls	Agree transitional processes for existing migrants
Chief Minister	CHWL controls	Roll out new migration controls
Chief Minister	CHWL IT system	Complete implementation of new system to support CHWL administration including launch of new application portal. Begin to publish updated statistics
Minister for Home Affairs	Immigration controls	Continue to develop long term policies for immigration controls post-Brexit.

Actions beyond 2022

• Making better use of data

Take steps towards establishing a full e-census programme.
Maintain focus on improving data collection and analysis across all government activities.
Develop and introduce a robust and secure Digital ID system for use across government.

• Encouraging and enhancing productive activity within the resident population

Consider the political responsibility for Skills. This currently sits with the Minister for Children and Education whose primary focus is appropriately the need to provide first class services and educational opportunities to children and young people. A Minister, or Assistant Minister, with full responsibility for skills across all programmes, working very closely with the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, could provide the political champion needed to drive this key area of population policy in future years.
Following the outcome of the actuarial review to be completed in 2022, consider further increasing the State Pension Age after 2032, combined with allowing workers to continue to make contributions and claim a higher pension at an older age.
Acknowledging the advice of the Fiscal Policy Panel that the Government should not seek to raise additional revenues in the short term, consider how future tax and social security regimes might adapt to:

account for increased off island remote working for local businesses and automation of roles;

track the global debate on taxation of robots and its suitability to Jersey; and

support upskilling, lifelong learning and increased participation.

Maintain focus on improved productivity, including greater awareness and use of digital solutions

• More Responsive Controls

There are areas of overlap between the controls exercised by the Minister for Home Affairs and the controls exercised by the Chief Minister. These two ministerial areas need to be closely coordinated and there may be merit in combining the responsibilities under a single Minister.