The Chief Minister has said the island is on course to meet the population targets set out in the island plan.

He said the number of residents registered for income tax has increased, with the registering and de-registering of income tax being one of a range of measures used to track the number of individuals moving to the island.

This was revealed in the House of Keys this week after Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse asked the Chief Minister on the matter.

Alfred Cannan said: ‘In the first 18 months of this administration, having set out a bold and ambitious plan, the figures indicate that we are net 1449 positive to the numbers of people paying income tax.

‘We are on course to meet the ambitious targets we set out in our island plan.’

In terms of individuals who have registered for income tax, in 2019 the figurewas 1,860, in 2020 it was 1,470, in 2021 it was 1,422, in 2022 it was 1,988 and in 2023 to date the figure is 541.

The corresponding figure of individuals who have de-registered from income tax were 1,433 in 2019, while in 2020 it was 1,003, in 2021 it was 922, in 2022 it was 912 and 2023 to June 1, the figure is 168.

Mr Cannan said: ‘. The number of people deregistering in 2023, 2022, and 2021, in all likelihood underestimates the number of people leaving the island because a sizable share of such people do take some time to notify the government of their change in status.

The likely extent of this underestimation is currently being determined by statistics Isle of Man as part of development of the populationmeasure due for publication in September this year.’

He added: ‘The government continues to develop its reporting and metrics in relation to the economic strategy.

‘It is expected that tax registrations will be one of a range of statistics used to monitor progress.’