Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the changes to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy published on 14 December 2021, how (a) Afghan Chevening Scholars and (b) Afghans who worked for or with the Government but not directly on military or security objectives and who are at risk as a result of those activities can apply to be resettled in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

We have helped over 15,000 people to safety in the largest and fastest emergency evacuation in recent history, and we have continued to bring people to the UK, with around 1,500 people helped to enter since the evacuation.

The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) will continue to offer current or former locally employed staff who are assessed to be under serious threat to life priority relocation to the UK.

During the first year the Government will offer Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) places to the most at risk British Council and GardaWorld contractors, and Chevening alumni as set out in the Oral Statement on 6^th January. These cohorts played a key role in supporting the UK mission in Afghanistan, and it is right that we honour our commitments to them. Due to the success of Op Pitting and larger than anticipated number of people brought over to the UK, we plan to exceed our initial aim of 5,000 people in the first year of the ACRS.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will be in touch with those eligible to support them through the next steps. Beyond the first year of the ACRS, we will work with international partners and NGOs to welcome wider groups of Afghans most.

Further details on referral for resettlement can be found in the recent statement to Parliament on 6 January: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/oral-statement-on-the-afghan-citizens-resettlement-scheme