The citizens’ rights watchdog set up to protect the rights of EU nationals living in the UK is conducting its first survey to understand the level of public concern about living in Britain after Brexit.
Kathryn Chamberlain, the chief executive of the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA), said on Monday (1 February) that the IMA’s survey was one of “a range of intelligence-gathering exercises we are carrying out to protect citizens’ rights.”
“I want to hear from as many people as possible. Their responses, along with the complaints we receive, help us to build a bigger picture of the issues facing EU citizens,” Chamberlain added.
The IMA will have the power to receive complaints, launch inquires and initiate judicial review proceedings. The IMA will also have a role in reviewing the effectiveness of the citizens’ rights legislative framework, for instance by reviewing draft legislation. In exercising its functions, the IMA must have regard to the importance of dealing with general or systemic issues, as well as receiving and investigating individual complaints.
The IMA has its own website where the public can find further information on IMA and their work.
The IMA is an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) and as an independent authority will be accountable to parliament through its sponsor department, the Ministry of Justice.