Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his most recent estimate is for when applications to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme as of 18 February 2022 will have been processed.
Answered by James Heappey
As of 18 February 2022, over 110,000 applications have been received; many of which are found to be incomplete or duplications. We do not record metrics for the processing times of applications, and any number of factors can affect how long it takes for an applicant to progress through each stage of the process. For example: their location, access to IT, employment history verification, security checks, or family circumstances.
We continue to devote significant resources to this task; a dedicated team of caseworkers work seven days a week to process pending applications. To date, their efforts have resulted in the relocation to the UK of over 8,000 eligible applicants and dependants.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in which month were the applications to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme being processed as of 18 February 2022 submitted.
Answered by James Heappey
As of 18 February 2022, over 110,000 applications have been received; many of which are found to be incomplete or duplications. We do not record metrics for the processing times of applications, and any number of factors can affect how long it takes for an applicant to progress through each stage of the process. For example: their location, access to IT, employment history verification, security checks, or family circumstances.
We continue to devote significant resources to this task; a dedicated team of caseworkers work seven days a week to process pending applications. To date, their efforts have resulted in the relocation to the UK of over 8,000 eligible applicants and dependants.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what work has been undertaken on an application to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy for that application to be categorised as (a) pending, (b) in progress, (c) processed and (d) complete.
Answered by James Heappey
Applications that have been received but are pending a decision on eligibility are regarded as 'pending'.
Applications assessed as eligible and undergoing the casework processes necessary to facilitate relocation to the UK are regarded as 'in progress'.
Applications that have concluded the casework process are cleared for relocation but are awaiting relocation are regarded as 'processed'.
Applications where the principal applicant and any dependants have arrived in the UK and been passed into the care of the Home Office are regarded as 'complete'.
As at 22 February the Afghan Relocation & Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme has received in excess of 110,000 applications. To meet this unprecedented challenge a dedicated team of caseworkers are working 7 days a week to process these applications.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether applications to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme are decided strictly in the order in which they were submitted.
Answered by James Heappey
As at 22nd February over 110,000 applications have been received to the Afghan Relocation & Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme and a dedicated team of caseworkers are working 7 days a week to process these applications. Routinely, applications are progressed in the order they have been received. In some cases, further information has to be requested from the applicant, and subject to that being received (and when) this may have implications for when decisions on the application are made. In exceptional circumstances, HMG may expedite ARAP applications. This will generally (but not exclusively) be where ARAP caseworkers become aware that there is credible evidence one or more of the following applies: there is an unusually high and imminent threat to life; the applicant requires immediate life-saving medical treatment for a medical condition unavailable in their current location; there are implications for diplomatic and international relations; or there are implications for national security.
We continue to devote significant resources to this task; and, to date our efforts have resulted in the relocation to the UK of over 8,000 ARAP principals and their dependants.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans she has to allow Afghan refugees given Indefinite Leave to Remain under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, to join the armed forces in the UK.
Answered by James Heappey
Individuals with Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK have no immigration restrictions on their employment however, as per s.340 of the Armed Forces Act 2006 the right to enlist in the UK Armed Forces is restricted to British or Commonwealth citizens, or either sole or dual nationals of the Republic of Ireland. The only exception to this legislation is the special and unique arrangement permitting Nepalese citizens to enlist in the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Afghans relocated under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, and any other migrants to the UK would be eligible to enlist in the UK Armed Forces once they had applied for and obtained British nationality.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications his Department has received for the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy scheme; how many applicants to that scheme have (a) been excluded from the UK relocation option, (b) been accepted for relocation to the UK under category (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) four and (c) not yet been informed of a decision on their application; and how many of those accepted, rejected or pending were terminated from their employment.
Answered by James Heappey
We have significantly accelerated the pace of relocations under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) in line with the military drawdown. Since 1 June 572 people, former Afghan locally employed staff and their families, have been relocated to the UK. The MOD is working with the Home Office and a range of Government departments to ensure their successful resettlement.
This now takes the total number of people from Afghanistan relocated to the UK under the ARAP and the previous Ex-Gratia Policy to nearly 2,000.
Unfortunately for operational security reasons we cannot at this time comment on specific numbers of applications.
Our commitment to those who are eligible under the ARAP, and the process to deliver it, is not time-limited and will endure beyond the military presence in Afghanistan.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much public money has been spent in support of soldiers going through inquest or criminal proceedings in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.
Answered by Leo Docherty
It is taking time to collate the information needed to answer the hon. Member's question. I will write to him when it is available, and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on legal aid to (a) veterans and (b) serving personnel in relation to Troubles prosecutions and incidents in each of the last five years.
Answered by Leo Docherty
It is taking time to collate the information needed to answer the hon. Member's question. I will write to him when it is available, and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the work of the Medical Defence Services with the Royal College of Psychiatrists Choose Psychiatry campaign to encourage more junior doctors to start a career as a military psychiatrist.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Defence Medical Services are closely involved with the Royal College of Psychiatrists Choose Psychiatry campaign. A part of the campaign, focused on military recruitment, began in October 2018. Using channels including Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube, advertisements for military psychiatric positions are expected to attract significant interest.
Asked by: Johnny Mercer (Conservative - Plymouth, Moor View)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 17 of the Quinquennial Review of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme ‘One Year On’ Report, published on 9 April 2018, what estimate he has made of the number of service personnel with (a) the most serious injuries and (b) brain injuries that will qualify for the (i) uplift of the top tariff level 1 award and (ii) increase the cap on the cumulative lump sum for multiple awards.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The amendments to Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) legislation from 9 April 2018 are not retrospective. Eligible Service personnel who make AFCS claims from 9 April 2018 will benefit from the uplifts and increases in compensation values.