With the UK Government’s deadline of 30 June for European Union Settlement Scheme applications looming, Shadow Social Justice Minister Mark Isherwood has highlighted the actions being taken by the UK Government to alert EU citizens of the deadline and questioned the Welsh Government about its actions in Wales to ensure that everyone eligible to apply does so.
Responding to the Statement by the Minister for Social Justice on EU Settled Status in yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood said latest UK Government statistics show that of 5,423,300 applications across the UK, 5,118,300 have so far been processed, and asked how the Welsh Government has been working with the UK Government to ensure that all those eligible to apply do, particularly older people and parents on behalf of their children.
He said:
“Three years ago, in June 2018, the UK Government published its step by step guidance on applying to the EU Settlement Scheme, settled and pre-settled status, for EU, EEA and Swiss Citizens - and their families - to apply to continue living in the UK after the application deadline of the 30th June 2021.
“You refer to the total 87,960 applications made by EU citizens resident in Wales, 58% of which have secured settled status and 40% pre-settled status.
“You refer to concerns both for applicants who have secured pre-settled status and will still need to apply for settled status when they become eligible, and people who have not yet applied to the scheme – and state that you have written to the UK Minister, Kevin Foster MP, calling for the deadline to be extended.
“However, how has the Welsh Government been working with the UK Government, where Kevin Foster stated only last weekend:
“Every day, thousands of people are being granted status under the hugely successful EU settlement scheme. I urge people who are eligible to apply as soon as possible and secure the rights they deserve in UK law. We have already confirmed that someone who has applied to the EU settlement scheme by the 30 June deadline, but has not had a decision by then, will have their rights protected until their application is decided.”
He added:
“There is particular concern about the number of older people who have not applied for settlement status and about parents who seem unaware that they need to ensure that children and even babies apply for settled status this month.
“I have heard on the radio UK Government adverts targeted at these specific groups accordingly. What specific action is the Welsh Government therefore taking, either with the UK Government or independently, to reach these groups of people?”
Mr Isherwood, who hosted a joint webinar with Citizen’s Advice Flintshire last July for EU, EEA or Swiss Citizens to find out more about help available with both the EU Settlement scheme, and Employment and Discrimination, also referred to the £22m the UK Government has given to 72 organisations to help vulnerable and harder-to-reach groups apply, and asked the Minister if she could share figures evidencing the specific outcomes from Welsh Government support, disaggregated from the support schemes funded by the UK Government.