COSLA President Councillor Alison Evison said this afternoon (Monday):

“COSLA and Scottish Local Government have worked hard to reassure EU citizens that they are welcome in Scotland and we value the contribution they make to our economy and communities. Unfortunately, this announcement differs from those we have received previously and may well reinforce people’s fears and concerns about Brexit.

“The limited amount of detail in this proposal, particularly regarding what will replace the system being ended, will be deeply concerning to many of our valued citizens. There is a significant risk that this will cause serious disruption to our workforce, and in turn the delivery of local services and have negative impacts on local businesses.”