Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance has been issued by her Department to (a) prison and (b) probation services throughout the UK to help people in custody either on remand or serving a sentence to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme.

The EU Settlement Scheme guidance published on GOV.UK applies to all those who may apply under the scheme, including prisoners.

HM Prison and Probation Service has been working closely with the Home Office to ensure those who are eligible to apply under the scheme are aware of it and are able to do so.

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, the Government has made clear,where a person eligible for status under the EU Settlement Scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications by those resident in the UK by the end of the transition period, they will be given a further opportunity to apply.

We will publish clear, non-exhaustive guidance in the near future on what constitutes reasonable grounds for missing the deadline. For now, the focus remains on communicating information about the scheme and helping people to apply before the deadline.