Parliament Workbench
Data: Motions & questions to 19 Nov 2026 · Votes to 12 Nov 2026

Motion For Debate · S5M-19809 · Session 5

Protecting the Rights of EU Citizens in Scotland

Lodged by Ben Macpherson SNP Lodged 11 Nov 2019 Debate 12 Nov 2019 1 supporter

The motion

That the Parliament welcomes citizens from elsewhere in the EU, the EEA and Switzerland who have used their right to freedom of movement to come to Scotland, and recognises the significant contributions that such EU citizens make to Scotland and the rest of the UK socially, culturally and economically; acknowledges that EU citizens enrich Scotland and are an integral part of communities across the country; notes that the approach of the UK Government towards the rights of EU citizens since 24 June 2016 has created long-running insecurity and anxiety for millions; emphasises that EU citizens maintain their rights under freedom of movement until if and when the UK exits the EU; believes that EU citizens should not have to apply to retain rights they already have if the UK exits the EU and freedom of movement ends; notes that the establishment of a declarative system and the removal of the requirement to apply to the UK Government’s EU Settlement Scheme would go some way to alleviating the current insecurity many people are experiencing; believes that the rights of EU citizens must be enshrined in primary legislation, and proposes that, if a declarative system is not established in law, the UK Government should immediately disapply its requirement that EU citizens accrue five years’ residency to obtain full settled status, therefore removing the less secure pre-settled status, and considers that in all cases EU citizens must be given the option of receiving physical proof of status.

What MSPs voted on: the motion as amended

The SNP’s motion was changed by a Labour amendment (S5M-19809.3) before this vote. A vote ‘for’ was a vote for the SNP’s motion with Labour’s changes.

That the Parliament welcomes citizens from elsewhere in the EU, the EEA and Switzerland who have used their right to freedom of movement to come to Scotland, and recognises the significant contributions that such EU citizens make to Scotland and the rest of the UK socially, culturally and economically; acknowledges that EU citizens enrich Scotland and are an integral part of communities across the country; notes that the approach of the UK Government towards the rights of EU citizens since 24 June 2016 has created long-running insecurity and anxiety for millions; emphasises that EU citizens maintain their rights under freedom of movement until if and when the UK exits the EU; believes that EU citizens should not have to apply to retain rights they already have if the UK exits the EU and freedom of movement ends; notes that the establishment of a declarative system and the removal of the requirement to apply to the UK Government’s EU Settlement Scheme would go some way to alleviating the current insecurity many people are experiencing; believes that the rights of EU citizens must be enshrined in primary legislationS5M-19809.3 Labour residing in the UK at the point of EU exit, or the end of the transition period in the case of an agreement, must be enshrined in primary legislation; notes the recent report by Robert Gordon University and Feniks, How Brexit Impacts EU Citizens’ Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Findings, and its findings that EU citizens in Scotland have experienced anxiety, and experience feelings of being unwelcome and rejected, with some reporting experiences of discrimination related to Brexit, and proposes that, if a declarative system is not established in law, the UK Government should immediately disapply its requirement that EU citizens accrue five years’ residency to obtain full settled status, therefore removing the less secure pre-settled status, and considers that in all cases EU citizens must be given the option of receiving physical proof of status.

Final wording as read into the Official Report at Decision Time. The marked changes are worked out by this site from the amendment texts and match that wording.

Amendments

  1. S5M-19809.1 Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur Not put to a vote (worked out by this site: never called at Decision Time: not selected or not moved)
  2. S5M-19809.2 Conservative Donald Cameron Defeated without a vote, per the Official Report
  3. S5M-19809.3 Labour Claire Baker Agreed without a vote, per the Official Report

Signatures by party

1 MSP besides the lodger · 0 from other parties
SNP 1

Party on the day each MSP signed. Signing a motion is voluntary and not whipped. Who signs whose motions

Vote

No recorded vote on this motion. Most motions are never debated, and many that are debated are agreed without a division. Vote records are published from 2011.

Amendments

3
  1. S5M-19809.1
    Protecting the Rights of EU Citizens in Scotland
    Liam McArthur LD Lodged 11 Nov 2019
    No recorded vote
  2. S5M-19809.2
    Protecting the Rights of EU Citizens in Scotland
    Donald Cameron Con Lodged 11 Nov 2019
    No recorded vote
  3. S5M-19809.3
    Protecting the Rights of EU Citizens in Scotland
    Claire Baker Lab Lodged 11 Nov 2019
    No recorded vote

Supporters

1 MSP

SNP 1

Show all 1 supporter by party

SNP 1

Party shown is each supporter’s party when the motion was published.

In the Official Report

4 contributions mention S5M-19809
  1. 12 Nov 2019
    European Union Citizens’ Rights
    Christine Grahame SNP Meeting of the Parliament

    The next item of business is the debate on motion S5M-19809, in the name of Ben Macpherson, on protecting the right of EU citizens in Scotland. I invite members who wish to speak in the debate to press their request-to-speak buttons now. I…

  2. 12 Nov 2019
    Decision Time
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    There are three questions to be put this evening. I remind members that if the amendment in the name of Donald Cameron is agreed to, the amendment in the name of Claire Baker will fall. The first question is, that amendment S5M-19809.2, in…

  3. 12 Nov 2019
    Decision Time
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    The next question is, that amendment S5M-19809.3, in the name of Claire Baker, which seeks to amend motion S5M-19809, in the name of Ben Macpherson, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.

  4. 12 Nov 2019
    Decision Time
    Ken Macintosh Meeting of the Parliament

    The final question is, that motion S5M-19809, in the name of Ben Macpherson, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.