§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many EEC nationals and their dependants will have the right of residence in the United Kingdom in consequence of the right of residence directive; and if he will make a statement on the implications for the United Kingdom of the minute of the Council relating to the further extension of the definitions of relative.
§ Mr. Peter LloydIt is not possible to predict with any precision the numbers of people who will benefit from the proposed right of residence directives. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that the numbers seeking to take advantage of them will be very large.
The Government have not agreed to any widening of the definition of dependants. As revised by the Council, in the light of concerns expressed by the United Kingdom and a number of other member states, the proposed directives will specify precisely to which family members they apply and will not be linked to the definition in other Community legislation dealing with the family members of other groups such as workers.
The Council and the Commission have agreed that the definition of family members in the new right of residence directives may be reviewed in the light of the proposal for a regulation amending article 10 of regulation 1612/68. The position of the United Kingdom and of a number of other member states in relation to that proposal is, however, reserved.
If a change were nevertheless made to regulation 1612/68, it is likely that a corresponding change would be sought to the new right of residence directives. The Council minute does not, however, commit any member state to accepting any such change, and any proposal to that effect would be for separate negotiation.