GETTY Nicola Sturgeon sent a letter out to EU nationals but no one knows how they got the list of names

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The Scottish Government claims a body called the Consular Corps distributed letters to EU nationals living in Scotland after the Brexit vote to clarify their status. Ms Sturgeon's government has no mandate over immigration, which is reserved to Westminster, and therefore would not have entitlement to create a list of EU nationals. However letters issued by both the First Minister on Scottish Government headed notepaper and also via SNP MSPs on Parliamentary headed notepaper to individual households in July stated that the administration was seeking "assurances that their residency will be unaffected." At the time individuals raised concerns that they were being targeted by the Scottish Government who had previously made statements saying individuals would be stripped of their residency rights if Scotland was “outside Europe”.

I am confused, the Consular Corp had nothing to do with this Spokesman for Consular Corps

Now mystery surrounds how the names and addresses of thousands of people were collected after the organisation which the Government claims "distributed" the letters denied they were involved. German woman Helga Hunter revealed she was stunned when she received a communication through the door from her SNP MSP Graeme Dey on Scottish Parliament headed notepaper, warning: “While there will be no immediate changes in your circumstances I appreciate there remains great uncertainty over how events will unfold.” When asked about the letters the Scottish Government told Express.co.uk: “The letter which the First Minister wrote to EU citizens was distributed through the Consular Corps.”

GETTY Ms Sturgeon held a 'summit' and decided to send a letter to EU nationals

The Government refused to answer subsequent questions on whether a database exists, whether they are breaking the Data Protection Act, and how individual SNP MSPs were able to access information that pertains to EU nationals living in Scotland. But a spokesman for the Consular Corps said: "The First Minister held a summit shortly after the Brexit vote, which was an information gathering exercise on behalf of the Scottish Government, and they decided they would circulate a letter among foreign nationals who reside in Scotland. "Most countries don't have lists of foreign nationals as they are not required to register. "It wasn't sent from the Consular Corps. I don't have a database and I am surprised. "I don't know why they would say that, they know we didn't send these letters. This was nothing to do with the Consular Corp. "I am confused, the Consular Corp had nothing to do with this."

GETTY Ms Sturgeon has also launched a 'listening exercise'

GETTY EU nationals were also invited to attend a summit to discuss their status

The issue has sparked a storm on social media with many questioning whether the Government is in fact creating a list. Maureen Johnson said: "Welcome to Scotland where we have the names of EU nationals on a list and send letters to them putting doubts in their minds." While Hazel Cowan said: "Sturgeon has list of foreign workers and threatened to deport EU nationals if Indy Scot not allowed to join EU. Much worse than UK gov." While another user said: "SNP have a list of 173,000 EU nationals living in Scotland on their database? How does that happen?" And another user added: "You sent letters to EU citizens living/ working in Scotland. That's a list. We are not stupid! Does SNP have access to lists?"

GETTY This letter was sent to EU nationals along with others on Parliamentary notepaper

A Home Office spokeswoman stepped into clarify the issues insisting EU residents are currently protected. She said: “There has been no change to the right of EU nationals to reside in the UK and therefore no change to the circumstances in which someone could be removed from the UK. “As was the case before the referendum, EU nationals can only be removed from the UK if they are considered to pose a genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat to the public, if they are not lawfully resident or are abusing their free movement rights.” The Scottish Government has previously fallen foul of Data Protection after their Named Person policy in Scotland was ruled by the Supreme Court to be unlawful.

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