Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of Uyghurs in Afghanistan; and what steps he is taking to help protect ethnic minorities in Afghanistan who are at risk of persecution.

According to NGO estimates, there are around 3,500 Uyhurs in Afghanistan. Minister for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, addressed the UN Human Rights Council on 24 August to underscore the UK's commitment to protecting the human rights of all Afghan people. This commitment extends to all ethnic and religious communities, including the Uyghurs.

All those at risk of persecution in Afghanistan, including religious and ethnic minorities, are eligible to apply to the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme, which will welcome up to a total of 20,000 vulnerable Afghans to the UK over a five-year period.