Thank you. Again, we considered these regulations at our meeting on 8 July 2019. We noted that these regulations amend the provisions of the Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (Wales) Regulations of 2014, the function of which is to prescribe the classes of persons subject to immigration control who are eligible for housing assistance under the Housing (Wales) Act of 2014, as well as the classes of persons from abroad not subject to immigration control, who are ineligible for housing assistance under that Act.

The effect of the amendment to regulation 5 of the 2014 regulations is to make specified unaccompanied refugee children who are entitled to relocation and support and specified people granted Calais leave to remain eligible for housing assistance, subject to some other conditions relating to residency.

The effect of the amendment to regulation 6 of the 2014 regulations is to maintain the status quo. Where specified persons with a right to reside in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland are also granted limited leave to enter or remain in the UK pursuant to appendix EU of the immigration rules, under the European Union settlement scheme, this does not affect their eligibility. That is, they are not made eligible for housing assistance by virtue of having obtained limited leave to remain under the EUSS.

We did not report any issues to the Assembly under Standing Orders 21.2 or 21.3. However, whilst we acknowledge both that we aren’t a policy-specific committee in this matter, and that the regulations do not give effect to any Welsh Government policy changes, we felt it was necessary to take the opportunity to highlight the serious subject matters, such as this, which are often dealt with via subordinate legislation. Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd.