Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a person who is not present in the UK may make a claim for asylum before travelling to the UK; and if so, where in the (1) Immigration Rules, or (2) immigration policy, such provision is made.

While we sympathise with the many millions of people facing difficult situations around the world, there are no plans to introduce a provision in the Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to claim asylum.

Our current policy is clear we will not consider asylum claims made abroad and there is no provision in the Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to claim asylum.

We already welcome vulnerable people in need of protection to the UK through our resettlement schemes and are standing up specific new migration routes in response to the situation in Ukraine. These schemes have provided safe and legal routes for tens of thousands of people to start new lives in the UK.

The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights and will continue this record.