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Poor broadband 'obstructs right to stay in post-Brexit UK'


By Matt Leslie

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Poor broadband access could see EU residents in Caithness lose their right to remain in the UK post-Brexit, north MP Jamie Stone has warned.

He voiced his concern that his constituents who are from EU member states could be forced to return to their countries of origin through no fault of their own.

Although broadband access is a devolved issue, Mr Stone says the UK Government should be more helpful in assisting the Scottish Government at Holyrood to roll out strong broadband throughout Scotland.

That would help ensure those EU citizens applying for post-Brexit residency are able to complete their applications online without any problems.

EU citizens can apply via the EU Settlement Scheme application process. The scheme has been fraught with difficulties, with wide-ranging complaints being made from unfair fees to a lack of physical access to centres where documents can be processed.

Too many of my constituents are deeply anxious about their right to stay.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Stone, the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, said: "As the minister has mentioned, applications can be made online – but in my constituency, as I have raised time and time again, connectivity is absolute mince, to use the Scottish expression.

"We would be better off with two cans and a length of string. Can the minister see that this lack of connectivity really mitigates against EU citizens who really want to remain?"

Responding, the minister of state for immigration, Brandon Lewis, said: "People do not have to do things digitally, they can speak to people or send things in and we also have several hundred centres that people can go to.

"But he can join us in encouraging the SNP to support the work to see broadband rolled out more widely across the country so that Scotland can benefit in the way the rest of the UK can."

Commenting after the exchange, Mr Stone added: "Too many of my constituents are deeply anxious about their right to stay. Many of them fill vital roles in the health service, in food processing and the tourism sector.

"They want to register as soon as possible, but this Tory government’s hapless treatment of EU citizens is putting up barriers.

"Without adequate broadband, and with very few centres in Scotland, EU citizens in my constituency are at a major disadvantage.

"The Scottish Government wants to help EU citizens and I am pleased that the minister agrees with me that one way to do this is by improving broadband throughout the whole of Scotland."


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