Oral Answers to Questions

Joanna Cherry Excerpts

Monday 6th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Amber Rudd]

Which is why I would refer to this as a reciprocal arrangement, which we hope to complete in parallel with the EU.

[Joanna Cherry (Edinburgh South West) (SNP)]

The Home Secretary talks about reciprocal arrangements, but when she gets round to reading the report from the Exiting the European Union Committee, she will see that representatives of UK citizens living abroad, to a man and woman, gave evidence to the Committee that they want the British Government to give a unilateral guarantee to EU citizens living here because they think that it will benefit British citizens abroad. Will she listen to the voices of UK citizens living abroad and give that unilateral guarantee?

[Amber Rudd]

There are more than 1 million UK citizens living in the European Union, and they are not all represented by the groups that gave evidence to the Brexit Committee. I care about every one of those UK citizens, and I repeat that it is incumbent on the Government to ensure that we protect their position as much as we protect that of EU citizens.

[Joanna Cherry]

Last week, the chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce pointed out that Scotland relies heavily on EU residents for the supply of labour. She said that business in Scotland wants a separate deal for immigration in Scotland. The Exiting the European Union Committee has said that the UK Government should respond fully and speedily to the Scottish Government’s proposals for a differential immigration policy for Scotland. Will the Home Secretary listen to the voice of business in Scotland and give a guarantee that that full and speedy response will be given without further delay?

[Amber Rudd]

The Scottish Government already play a full role in the negotiations and planning for the EU exit, and I am sure that that will continue over the next few months.