THE Tory government has thrown out a request from Holyrood to give European citizens more time to secure settled status in the UK.

Immigration minister Kevin Foster was clear that the UK Government would "not be extending the deadline" of June 30 for those wishing to apply to stay post-Brexit.

He pointed out that the scheme – which he claimed had been a "genuine success" – has been open for applications since 2019, with EU nationals having been given "the time to apply".

More than 5.6 million applications have been made to date under the scheme – including more than 276,000 from EU nationals living in Scotland.

But Jenny Gilruth, the Scottish Government’s Europe minister, warned a "backlog" of applications to the scheme was "deeply concerning".

She complained that "hundreds of thousands of applications – many of which will very likely be from our fellow citizens who wish to stay in Scotland – have yet to be processed by the Home Office".

The SNP minister stated: "It is just wrong that EU citizens who fail to apply by the deadline will suddenly become unlawfully resident in the UK.

"So the UK Government should make the common sense decision to extend the deadline, clear the backlog – and reform the scheme."

The National: Europe minister Jenny GilruthEurope minister Jenny Gilruth

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Foster dismissed the request, denying that the scheme was anything other than a success.

He said: "I want to be clear, we will not be extending the deadline. Put simply, extending the deadline is not the solution to reaching those people who have not yet applied, and we would just be in a position further down the line where we would be asked to extend again, creating more uncertainties."

Foster stressed anyone who applies by next week's deadline will "have their rights protected until the conclusion of their application by law".

He added: "Our message very much is for people not to delay, and apply as soon as they can."

While he said that the "high number of applications" meant there were cases still being determined, the minister stressed that people who apply by June 30 "will have their existing rights protected pending the outcome of their application".

Foster continued: "To ensure there is no loss of rights whilst applications are pending a decision, we are issuing a Certificate of Application to those who submit a valid application by June 30 which they will be able to rely on as proof to access their right to work or rent, when verified by the relevant Home Office checking service.

"They will also be able to enter the UK as a resident and continue to receive benefits and healthcare: essentially, nothing will change for them until their application is concluded."

He also said people would be able to make late applications to the scheme beyond the June 30 cut-off date, provided there were "reasonable grounds" for this.