Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she wil take steps to prioritise British Council contractors completing expressions of interest in the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme for (a) approval and (b) relocation; and if she will ensure that contractors who are deemed at most risk are expedited for (i) approval and (ii) relocation.

Under the third referral pathway of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), the Government will consider Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from eligible at risk British Council Contractors for possible resettlement, as well as from Gardaworld contractors and Chevening alumni. The FCDO will launch an online system on Monday 20 June to begin accepting EOIs; this will be open until Sunday 14 August. The scheme will help those at risk in Afghanistan and the neighbouring region. Expressions of Interest from British Council contractors, and the other eligible groups, will be considered in the order in which they are received. Some will be prioritised because of the role they performed or the project they worked on, or in exceptionally compelling circumstances.