Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applicants to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme are awaiting a response; and what the average time taken is to process applications under that scheme.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As of 12 December 2024, 7,662 principal applicants are awaiting an initial eligibility decision under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme. This Government has inherited a large number of ARAP applications but is committed to continuously improving the efficiency of the decision-making process across all cases, so that eligible applicants are identified and relocated quickly. . The time it takes to process an ARAP application varies, and not all applicants will receive an eligibility decision in the same timeframe due a wide range of factors, for example the length of time an applicant takes to respond to a request for information and verification checks required with Other Government Departments. Each case is assessed on its own merit and, as such, some may take longer than others to process.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to tackle delays in processing ARAP applications (a) from people at immediate risk of harm in Afghanistan and (b) generally.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
It is a priority for this Government to relocate all those eligible under ARAP as quickly as possible, with multiple Government Departments playing a key role to deliver this service.
The Ministry of Defence have received over 107,000 unique applications in total but all require consideration. In addition, the Ministry of Defence receive additional family member applications in relation to most eligible applicants, as well as requests for review of ineligible decisions, all of which must be considered. We are working to process these applications as quickly as possible. However, every case has to be considered individually based on the information available. Where cases are particularly complex, time must be taken to properly take into account all considerations to ensure the right outcome is reached.
Asked by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what resources have been allocated to ensure that the ARAP scheme is functioning (a) efficiently and (b) effectively.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The successful delivery of the ARAP scheme is contingent on the joint capabilities of the Defence Afghan Relocation and Resettlement (DARR) directorate and the Operation LAZURITE programme.
The Ministry of Defence has allocated £308 million in funding for Afghan resettlement, for this year. As of 1 December 2024, there are also 304 contractors, civilian and military colleagues working within DARR, and 365 Service personnel deployed under Operation LAZURITE, who ensure the ARAP process is efficient and effective; this ranges from determining eligibility, through to providing resettlement support for Afghan eligible principals and their families in the UK.