Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill (Fourth sitting) Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Sharma
Main Page: Lord Sharma (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Sharma's debates with the Home Office
(5 years, 9 months ago)
Public Bill CommitteesQ
Jeremy Morgan: It would make it an awful lot easier for them because they could say there is at least a law. The problem then, of course, is that the law can be changed, but it still would look an awful lot better. They know who Henry VIII was as well and they have seen the discussion. EU officials and politicians are pretty tuned in to what goes on in this country. They have seen the discussion and it worries them.
Kalba Meadows: May I add briefly that when I had this conversation with senior politicians and officials in France, they were not at all impressed? They did not accept that what is currently in place to cover settled status in the case of no deal was in fact offering sufficient guarantee.
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Jeremy Morgan: It would be devastating.
Kalba Meadows: You took the words out of my mouth.
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Kalba Meadows: It would be devastating in that the UK pension, as Jeremy has said, is already very low, and it has been devalued by the depreciation in sterling. Many people are in the position of what you would call only just managing.
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Kalba Meadows: It is not even as simple as that. For many people, moving back to the UK is barely an option. Most people do not have links in the UK. They do not have housing in the UK. They have housing where they are. Their lives are where they are.
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Kalba Meadows: It may well change behaviour in that people would have no choice. But it is a very difficult thing to even contemplate.
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Kalba Meadows: To move back to the UK.