Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has made recent representations to his (a) French and (b) Spanish counterpart on long-stay visas for UK citizens who need to spend more than 90 days within a given 180-day period in those countries.

The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides for visa-free travel for short-term visits for each other's nationals. British citizens can travel visa-free and stay for up to 90 days in a rolling 180-day period, in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code. This is the standard length of stay that the EU offers to third countries. Whilst the Government would welcome any changes to visa systems which would benefit UK nationals, this is a matter for national governments and parliaments. The Government continues to engage regularly with the European Commission and EU Member States on a range of mobility issues.