Chief Minister John Le Fondré scrapped plans to debate the long-awaited migration policy, arguing that greater consultation was needed and the impact of Brexit required more consideration.
And despite no formal plans being relodged, the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel has confirmed that it will be launching a review of the migration options available to government within months.
Senator Kristina Moore, who chairs the panel, said that the topic had been on their agenda ‘from the beginning’ of the new Assembly and the panel had written to Senator Le Fondré confirming the review.
Plans originally lodged by the former Council of Ministers included proposals to introduce seasonal work permits and criminal checks for migrants but following the election of a new Council of Ministers in June, the proposition was withdrawn.
Ministers had previously been working to an interim population policy, which expired in 2015 and was widely deemed a failure, with targets for annual inward migration levels of 325 people exceeded every year. Senator Moore said: ‘Obviously it is a core issue and so we wanted to take a look at it.
‘We felt that Scrutiny has got the capacity and ability to have a thorough consultation with the public and to look at the different options.
‘Scrutiny can pick a theme or topic that is of particular public importance and assess the different options available. We feel this is one of those public-interest items that divides opinion but it is of absolute necessity that the States has a clear vision on such an important topic.
‘We’re keen to tackle it from a consultative perspective and to work with the public and have their views.’
She added that the panel could ‘offer alternative solutions’ and that the Scrutiny review would ‘enhance and encourage what is going to be a very important debate’.
‘We have the ability to look and review what works and doesn’t work in other places and hopefully inform the debate when it eventually takes place,’ she said.
‘I feel the way Scrutiny has evolved since the beginning of this Assembly has helped to enhance debate. For example, the debate on the Vienna Convention – the Scrutiny panel helped to guide the debate and explained the nuts and bolts of the argument, which led to a better debate.
‘That is what we want to try to do with population.’
The review is expected to begin in March.
