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Brain family tell MPs of deportation fears Deportation family accuse Home Office of 'breach of trust'
(about 3 hours later)
An Australian family at risk of being deported from the UK have given evidence to Westminster's Home Affairs Select Committee. An Australian family fighting deportation from the UK have accused the Home Office of "a rather extraordinary breach of trust".
Kathryn Brain, her husband Gregg and son Lachlan moved to the Scottish Highlands in 2011 on a student visa, but the rules later changed. They said the government changed immigration rules after they were granted entry to the UK.
They have since had temporary extensions to their stay in the UK. Kathryn and Gregg Brain moved to Dingwall in the Highlands with their son Lachlan, now seven, in 2011.
In May, the Brains were told they could stay until 1 August, but that they would not be allowed to work. They have been giving evidence to Westminster's Home Affairs Select Committee.
Mr Brain told the MPs: "In a country that prides itself on being the birthplace of the rule of law, to assume you will be dealt with ethically and honestly by the UK government should simply be beyond question." The couple moved to the Highlands on Ms Brain's student visa, but the post-study visa scheme was later withdrawn. The couple now face deportation.
Home Office Minister James Brokenshire has also been giving evidence to the committee of MPs. The Scottish government initiative, formerly supported by the Home Office, was designed to attract people to live and work in the Highlands and Islands.
Ahead of the meeting SNP MP Ian Blackford urged Mr Brokenshire to honour the original terms of the family's visa. 'Beyond question'
They came to Scotland under a Scottish government initiative, formerly supported by the Home Office, that was designed to attract people to live and work in the Highlands and Islands. The announcement of the discontinuation of the post-study work visa scheme came in March 2011, just three months before the Brain family arrived in Scotland.
However, they had been accepted for the scheme in 2010 and were unaware of the changes until 2012.
The couple have since had temporary extensions to their stay in the UK.
In May, they were told they could stay until 1 August, but that they would not be allowed to work.
Mr Brain told the MPs: "In a country that prides itself on being the birthplace of the rule of law, to assume you will be dealt with ethically and honestly by the UK government should simply be beyond question.
"They [the Home Office] had to envisage that people would have to plan this far ahead to be able to successfully execute the programme that they provided.
"That is why I felt it was a rather extraordinary breach of trust when we had a letter from Mr Brokenshire [Home Office minister] which said... 'applicants should never assume that provisions that are in place at the time of their entry to the UK will continue to be viable options in future years'."
Home Office Minister James Brokenshire also gave evidence to the committee.
Ahead of the meeting, SNP MP Ian Blackford urged Mr Brokenshire to honour the original terms of the family's visa.
Brains' visa timelineBrains' visa timeline
Earlier this month, the Brains gave evidence on their situation to Westminster's Scottish Affairs Committee.Earlier this month, the Brains gave evidence on their situation to Westminster's Scottish Affairs Committee.
The committee was holding a session at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the national centre for Gaelic language in Sleat in Skye.The committee was holding a session at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the national centre for Gaelic language in Sleat in Skye.
The MPs also took evidence on the challenges faced by rural communities and population trends in the Highlands and Islands.The MPs also took evidence on the challenges faced by rural communities and population trends in the Highlands and Islands.
Skye has been successful in increasing its populations, but other areas, such as the Western Isles, have experienced depopulation.Skye has been successful in increasing its populations, but other areas, such as the Western Isles, have experienced depopulation.