Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2018 to Question 153188, Common Travel Area, whether the Government's commitment to reciprocal Common Travel Area rights to social welfare entitlements and benefits for Irish nationals will encompass all social security provision currently accessible to Irish nationals in the UK under EU free movement rights.

This Government is committed to preserving the reciprocal social security rights of UK and Irish nationals established through the Common Travel Area arrangements and currently provided under EU law. The Government signed an agreement on social security with Ireland on 1 February which, subject to ratification, will ensure that Irish and UK nationals residing and/or working in the UK or Ireland do not lose their rights to social security benefits as a result of the UK’s exit from the EU.

The agreement was laid for consideration by Parliament on 12 February as Command Paper 49, in accordance with section 20 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.