Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the recent change to the eligibility rules for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme on Afghan staff still living in the country who were contractors working for the British Council.

In August 2021 the Government evacuated British Council employees and agreed to resettle more than 50 British Council contractors. Many have already arrived in the UK with their families, and the Government continues to assist those eligible to come to the UK to do so. The Government will continue to honour its commitment to consider further British Council contractors for resettlement. As Victoria Atkins MP announced to the House on 6 January, they will be considered for resettlement under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).