Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is his Department's policy that people subject to removal orders for non-exercise of Treaty rights between now and the end of the implementation period under the EU Withdrawal Agreement are to be excluded from Settled Status; and if he will make a statement.

In line with the draft Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union published on 19 March 2018, criminality and security checks will be carried out on applications for status under the EU Settlement Scheme and conduct (including any criminal convictions relating to it) before the end of the planned implementation period on 31 December 2020 will be assessed according to the current EU public policy and security tests for deportation. These are set out in the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016.

Consistent with the draft Withdrawal Agreement, an applicant will be refused settled status under the scheme on the grounds of suitability where, at the date of decision, any of the criteria set out in paragraph EU15 of Appendix EU to the Immigration Rules applies.