Boris Johnson has been accused by the SNP of leaving thousands of EU nationals “in limbo” as the Brexit deadline for settled status looms.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford called on the Prime Minister to scrap the scheme and grant automatic settled status to millions of Europeans who live in the UK.
At Prime Minister’s Questions Blackford said there were still “hundreds of thousands of unprocessed cases” among over five million applications.
Blackford told the Commons: “Overnight thousands of our friends and neighbours could become illegal immigrants. They are living in fear for their jobs, their families, their livelihoods - and all because this Prime Minister won’t keep his word.”
Blackford said Scotland’s message to EU citizens was you’re welcome here, we want you to stay, this is your home” but UK Government was causing people untold stress, and cited cases where people felt suicidal or treated as third-rate citizens due to delays.
Blackford added: “Will the government now do the right thing – scrap the deadline and introduce automatically granted settled status?
Or will the Prime Minister’s legacy be the ridiculous removal of our NHS staff, our local community workers, our teachers and many more who have made their homes here?”
Johnson said: “I think it’s fantastic for 5.6 million people have already applied, we are processing applications as fast as we as we possibly can. The most important thing for anybody who still hasn’t applied to get their application today.”
The Prime Minister insisted the scheme has been an “outstanding success”
He added: “Anybody, applying within the deadline will of course have their had their case dealt with, and I urge them to get on with it.”.
More than 5.6 million applications have been received, but around 400,000 cases are still waiting to be processed.
Ministers have made it clear anyone who applies on time will have their existing rights protected while their case is heard and that anyone with a reasonable excuse can make a late application.
Once granted status, applicants can continue to use the NHS, study and access public funds and benefits, as well as travel in and out of the country.
According to provisional Home Office figures 5.5 million applications have been received since the scheme opened in March 2019 and 5.2 million have been finalised.
Of the concluded applications, more than 2.7 million were granted settled status, allowing them permanent leave to remain in the UK.
A further 2.2 million were given pre-settled status, meaning they need to reapply after living in the country for five years to gain permanent residence.
Some 94,000 applications have been refused, 72,100 were withdrawn or void and 74,900 were deemed invalid - where the Home Office decides someone is not eligible to apply or has failed to provide sufficient proof of residence.
