Home Office Copyright: Home Office

Britain will be able to carry out criminal record checks, should it wish, on EU nationals seeking to stay in the country after Brexit.

The government has said it wants applicants for settled status to have to declare any criminal convictions and for the authorities to be able to check UK databases and, in certain cases, verify international records.

The UK's position was initially met with resistance in Brussels but ministers believe that they have got their way over the issue in Friday's agreement.

The document, released earlier, says: "Systematic criminality and security checks can - in the specific context of acquiring status under the Withdrawal Agreement - be carried out on all applicants for status under the agreement and applicants can be asked to declare criminality."