Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will increase the number of scanning centres in Wales to improve access for EU27 citizens applying for settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme.

The latest published information shows more than 3.6 million EU Settlement Scheme applications had been received up to 31 May 2020. Of these, 59,400 applications had been received in Wales. The latest figures can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics.

In order to ensure resident EEA and Swiss nationals, and their family members, understand how and by when to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, the Home Office has put in place a comprehensive communications and engagement plan, using all available channels to reach our audiences – such as marketing, presentations, email updates, toolkits and webinars.

The Home Office has delivered a £4 million marketing campaign to encourage resident EEA and Swiss nationals to apply. During the first burst of campaign activity billboards were placed in 186 locations in Wales with 50% of these posters in Welsh and 50% in English.

No-one will be left behind, which is why we are working in partnership with representatives of vulnerable groups and other expert organisations to make sure the right level of support is available. This includes £9 million of funding awarded last year to 57 voluntary and community sector organisations across the UK to assist vulnerable and at-risk EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members. Five organisations are providing support for EEA and Swiss citizens in Wales: Newport Mind Association, Tros Gynnal Plant, International Organisation for Migration, Royal Association for Deaf People, and Rights of Women.

There are multiple ways applicants can have their identity documents checked as part of the application process, including using the EU Exit: ID Document Check smartphone app or by posting identity documents to the Home Office.

The identity document scanner locations are currently closed due to the COVID pandemic, following the latest public health guidance to protect staff. However, the Home Office and its delivery partners are keeping this situation under constant review and will endeavour to reinstate identity document scanner locations to their original capacity in line with public health guidance.