British MPs call for unilateral safeguarding of rights of #EUNationals living in UK

European migrants stealing UK jobs? NHS could be hit hardest by exodus of EU citizens

The cross-party Exiting the European Union Committee, which includes leading Brexiteers such as Michael Gove, Peter Lilley, Dominic Raab and Sammy Wilson, has unanimously agreed that the government should make a unilateral decision to safeguard the rights of EU nationals living in the UK. The MPs are also calling on the government to seek to ensure that UK nationals already resident in other EU countries – and EU citizens already living here – do not lose their rights to health care and pensions after Brexit.

Exiting the EU Committee Chairman Hilary Benn MP said: "EU citizens who have come to live and work here have contributed enormously to the economic and cultural life of the UK. They have worked hard, paid their taxes, integrated, raised families and put down roots.

"EU nationals in the UK and UK nationals in the EU are aware of the forthcoming negotiations, but they do not want to be used as bargaining chips. Although the government has said it wants EU citizens to be able to remain, this has not offered sufficient reassurance that the rights and status that they have enjoyed will be guaranteed. It should now do so."

'Unconscionable for people to be used as bargaining chips'

MPs call for all parties to the negotiations to make the resolution of the rights of all EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU their first priority. The report says that “it would be unconscionable, for EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU not to have clarity about their status for another two years”.

In a tone that belies that set during the referendum campaign, MPs say that the government must take account that EU nationals came to the came to the UK legally and have contributed to the UK economically and culturally enriching British society. Indeed, the EU migrants have generated more tax revenue that they have received, worked hard, integrated, raised families and put down roots. MPs say that though the Government has said it wants EU citizens to be able to remain, no guarantee has been offered that the rights and status that they have enjoyed will continue.

Health care for UK nationals in the EU

The committee called for access to health care, on the same terms as those currently enjoyed. It is note that this is a particular concern for UK nationals, including those of retirement age, resident in Europe. It is interesting that Gove and Lilley who rejected single market membership would like continued participation in EEA wide schemes that enable UK nationals to receive health care in EEA member states.

Pensions for UK nationals in the EU

The government should seek the continuation of existing reciprocal arrangements for pension uprating for UK citizens living in other EU member states and for EU citizens living in the UK. The government also needs to clarify whether it will seek to continue to co-operate on EU-wide mechanisms to enable pension contributions in different member states to be aggregated.

There are currently estimated to be 190,000 recipients of the UK state pension living in the EU, mainly in Spain, France and Ireland and the UK pays for their health care. The UK state pension is uprated on the triple lock—the higher of: the rate of inflation, the rate of increase in wages, or 2.5%. This is passed on to British recipients abroad but only in an EEA country or where there is a reciprocal social security agreement.

One million EU applicants could be denied permanent residence

EU nationals currently have to fill in an 85-page form that is too complex and onerous to be used to clarify the status of up to three million people. In other countries the form ranges from one to five pages, and while some countries charge a fee in the UK the process cost is high at £65 The Committee is calling on the government to streamline the system as a matter of urgency if it intends the permanent residence system to be the basis for enabling EU to stay in the UK after Brexit.

Hilary Benn MP said: “The permanent residence application process is disproportionately burdensome and involves collection of information which goes far beyond what is required to prove residence over a five-year period. [The committee were told that] giving residence documents to all potentially eligible applicants using the current system would take the equivalent of 140 years."

MPs also urged the government to stop sending letters to rejected applicants with the words “Prepare to leave the UK” unless there are grounds for removal because the applicant does not have a right to remain.

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