During a Scrutiny hearing, Deputy Kirsten Morel, an assistant minister in Economic Development, was pressed on the issue by Deputy Steve Luce, who said that he had recently been ‘surprised’ to learn that the much-criticised project was again being run by Ports of Jersey.
Responsibility for the registry was handed to Ports in 2018 after it emerged that only two aircraft had signed up to the initiative after £900,000 had been spent on its development.
It was initially launched in 2014 in a joint scheme with Guernsey with the aim of generating millions of pounds in income for both islands.
But Guernsey soon decided to break away to form its own much more successful registry, which has registered more than 500 aircraft.
It was agreed in 2019 that the Jersey registry should be run by a third party in the light of its shortcomings.
But, during a hearing of the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure panel, Deputy Luce explained that he had recently learned that Ports was once again responsible for the project and asked for an explanation, as well as clarity on its future.
‘Can I ask you for an update on that and what your intentions are to do with the aircraft registry? It’s a subject which hasn’t been one of major success over the years. Are we going to pull the plug on it like we might have done previously?’ he said.
Deputy Morel said that the government intended to ‘maintain the aircraft registry’ and it was ‘unfortunate’ that the third-party service provider had pulled out.
He added that he believed there was a future for the registry if it could help with the development of eco-friendly aircraft.
‘I’m keen that any aircraft registry going forward is entirely carbon neutral and this I believe is something that I believe could help reinvigorate the aircraft registry.
‘I am also aware that if there is genuinely no future for the aircraft registry, then it does need to be closed down. At this moment in time I believe there is a future for the aircraft registry.
‘I believe it could help Jersey in the development of a wider aviation sector, particularly with the idea of sustainability and carbon neutrality at the core,’ Deputy Morel said.
Deputy Luce asked Deputy Morel whether he could set a timeline on how long it would take to establish whether the registry was a viable project.
The assistant minister said he believed it would take 12 to 18 months.
‘By December next year I think there should be an absolute definitive pathway forward or an end to it.
‘The reason for that [timescale] is because it is tied to the development of an aviation sector.
‘The question is: can Jersey develop the aviation sector as a viable pillar to its economy? And that’s where the length of the work lies,’ he said.
