‘No delays’ with the EU Settlement Scheme, security minister insists

There are “no delays” with the EU Settlement Scheme, Security Minister Brandon Lewis has insisted.

His comments came as shadow home secretary Diane Abbott told MPS there was “very genuine concern” among EU nationals, their families and employers about the workings of the scheme amid ongoing Brexit discussions.

Ms Abbott claimed 18% of applications had not been resolved as she called on Mr Lewis to commit to ensuring applications were “processed promptly”.

Speaking during Commons Home Office questions, Ms Abbott said: “The minister will be aware of the very genuine concern of EU nationals, their families and their employers about the workings of this EU Settlement Scheme.

“The minister will also be aware as will members on both sides of the

House about the general problems with delays with the Home Office. For instance, the proportion of leave to remain applications taking more than six months, doubled between 2014 and 2017.”

She added: “The minister has said correctly that over two million applications to the EU Settlement Scheme have now been made, but 18% of those have not been resolved and the minister did cause concern by himself saying recently that EU nationals who failed to apply before 2020 could be deported.

“Can the minister give the House an assurance that every effort will be made to reach out to those who have yet to apply and that the applications will be processed promptly?”

Mr Lewis replied: “The short answer is yes. Just to give a bit of flavour to that, there are no delays with the EU Settlement Scheme.

“She’s conflated two completely different schemes, in fact, in the question that she asked.

“The EU Settlement Scheme, people’s status is decided very, very quickly. There is 2.2 million (who) have now applied through the process.

“Actually, in the whole of this process with the latest set of figures, only two people have been refused and that’s been on criminality grounds and I think that’s absolutely right.”

Picture: PA. Security Minister Brandon Lewis.