Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister – in the Senedd at 3:01 pm on 16 January 2019.
Well, absolutely. The Member describes the situation, a very traumatic situation for the individuals concerned, with passion, and I would endorse his remarks. I'm aware that a response has been received in relation to the question of settled status and the family challenge, which the Welsh Government made to the UK Government in relation to this, and unfortunately that has not taken us further forward at all. So, we are at completely different, polar ends of the spectrum in relation to this and what we think is an appropriate way of proceeding in relation to this. He will have seen as well in the immigration White Paper, which the UK Government brought out before Christmas, a similar approach to families of temporary workers, for example, which is a system that will be appalling in its consequences for us here in Wales. We are anxious that the arrangements, flawed though they are, which the UK Government has put in place in relation to settled status, should be continued even in the context of a 'no deal' Brexit, because failing to do that I think would put even further pressure on EU citizens who are already living here in Wales and face the sorts of indignities that he describes in his question.