European Citizens

Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister (in respect of his Brexit Minister responsibilities) – in the Senedd at 2:40 pm on 22 January 2020.

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Photo of Jeremy Miles Jeremy Miles Labour 2:40, 22 January 2020

We will continue with the work we have been doing. We've been funding various advice services and a communication campaign. We've also been pressing the UK Government in relation to the availability of digital scanning centres in Wales. The Member may be aware that, at the start, there was only one. We're looking at about seven, I think, at the moment, and are also pressing for an expansion of the assisted digital centre provision, which enables those EU citizens who need extra support to make the application. There are now, I think, 26 of those in Wales, and we've been pressing very hard over the period of time to ensure that those numbers increase, and with some success.

For most people, getting that extra support won't be necessary, but there'll be a significant cohort who do need that extra help in order to be able to register. But there are some design flaws in the scheme itself, which we are also pressing with the UK Government. One issue, which Members will be, I think, aware of, is the lack of a physical manifestation or document that encapsulates the settled status. Whilst most of us probably would be comfortable with having an online acknowledgement of that, which we can share with organisations and bodies and agencies if we wish, again, there will be a lot of people who will feel much more secure in having a piece of paper or a physical badge of that, and so, we've been pressing in relation to that point as well.