NEW figures have revealed more than a third of the 175,000 EU nationals living in Scotland have not been approved for settled status by the Home Office.

Under the UK Government scheme to give EU citizens already living here the right to stay once the Brexit transition period ends in December, they and their families need to prove their identity, that they live in the UK and declare any criminal convictions in order to apply.

Now it has emerged 73,780 people from EU countries have not yet been granted permanent settled status as part of the scheme.

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Of the 173,090 living in Scotland, just 97,710 have been approved as part of the scheme. Some 14,410 have applied but are awaiting the Home Office’s final decision, while a further 59,370 have only been granted temporary pre-settled status.

That means they will have to reapply within five years or will be forced to leave the UK.

LibDem home affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine has now called for all EU nationals to be given the right to stay automatically.

The MP pointed to the contribution of EU nationals working in the health service during the current Covid-19 crisis.

Jardine said: "The coronavirus crisis is an unprecedented threat. NHS staff, social care workers and other health professionals are putting themselves in harm’s way each and every day to keep us safe.

“The Government has a chance to show its own support for the people’s heroes by extending the right to remain to all EU and foreign nationals, many of whom are fighting for our lives during the Covid-19 pandemic."