Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will ensure that British Council contractors deemed eligible for relocation under the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme and at very high risk will be approved and processed in a way that enables them to leave Afghanistan and travel to the UK for resettlement ahead of other candidates and as soon as possible.

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.