Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the student visa emergency brake on the ability of Afghan women to access higher education in the United Kingdom, in light of the current restrictions on female education within Afghanistan; and what alternative safe and legal routes are being provided for this specific group.

As set out in the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government remains committed to the introduction of capped safe and legal routes for refugees and displaced people to come to the United Kingdom. Work is underway to develop these routes, including confirming the eligibility criteria and the number of places to be made available for each new safe and legal route.

It is essential that any safe and legal routes are sustainable, well managed, and aligned with the United Kingdom’s capacity to welcome, accommodate and integrate refugees. Work is underway to operationalise these new routes and further details will be provided in due course.

Equality Impact Assessments have been completed in line with the Equality Act 2010 for the emergency brakes on Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan.