Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many (a) UK citizens have returned to the UK and (b) Afghan nationals seeking safe passage to the UK have been resettled in the UK since the fall of the previous Afghan government.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Since 15 August, the UK has evacuated over 15,000 people from Afghanistan. That includes: over 8,000 British Nationals, close to 5,000 Afghans who loyally served the UK, along with their dependents, and around 500 special cases of particularly vulnerable Afghans, including Chevening scholars, academics, researchers, journalists, human rights defenders, campaigners for women's rights, judges and many others. This is in addition to the almost 2,000 people we brought to the UK between April and August under the ARAP scheme. Rapid Deployment Teams have been sent to Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to reinforce our Embassy staff to process arrivals from Afghanistan. Teams have also deployed to Qatar and UAE to assist our operations there and we are providing consular support to British nationals who were evacuated by other allies, including via US airbases in Europe.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the families of British nationals who have been evacuated from Afghanistan to (a) Italy and (b) other third countries have access to essentials and basic necessities.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Consulate staff in all British Embassies and Consulates are available to assist families of British Nationals. In addition, Rapid Deployment Teams (RDT) have been sent to Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Dubai to reinforce our Embassy staff to assist arrivals from Afghanistan.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Worcester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the current levels of internally displaced persons in Afghanistan, and (2) current and future refugee flows from Afghanistan to (a) Pakistan, (b) Tajikistan, (c) Iran, (d) Uzbekistan, and (e) Turkmenistan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
NGOs estimate that nearly 400,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Afghanistan since the beginning of 2021, in addition to the 2.9 million already displaced by the end of 2020. FCDO Ministers have been, and continue to be, in regular contact with our counterparts in Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, including most recently on 14 September when Lord Ahmad visited Uzbekistan.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what provisions the UK is putting in place for consular services for people in Afghanistan either in country through another nation state or out of country.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Four Rapid Deployment Teams have been deployed to Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to reinforce our Embassy staff to process arrivals from Afghanistan and provide consular assistance on travel documentation and transport to support the return of British nationals to the UK. We continue to work closely with international partners, including the Qatari authorities, to get as many remaining British Nationals as possible out of Afghanistan.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken in order to assist (a) UK citizens seeking to return to the UK and (b) Afghan nationals seeking safe passage to the UK following the fall of the previous Afghan Government in August 2021.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Since 15 August, the UK has evacuated over 15,000 people from Afghanistan. That includes: over 8,000 British Nationals, close to 5,000 Afghans who loyally served the UK, along with their dependents, and around 500 special cases of particularly vulnerable Afghans, including Chevening scholars, academics, researchers, journalists, human rights defenders, campaigners for women's rights, judges and many others. All these figures include dependants. This is in addition to the almost 2,000 people we brought to the UK between April and August under the ARAP scheme.
Our immediate focus is on ensuring safe passage for anyone remaining in Afghanistan who is eligible to come to the UK and wishes to leave. We continue to work closely with the Qatari authorities to facilitate the evacuation of British nationals from Kabul.
Rapid Deployment Teams have been sent to Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to reinforce our Embassy staff to process arrivals from Afghanistan. Teams have also deployed to Qatar and UAE to assist our operations there and we are providing consular support to British nationals who were evacuated by other allies, including via US airbases in Europe.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2021 to Question 41124 on Afghanistan: Refugees, whether he held meetings with counterparts in countries neighbouring Afghanistan on the needs of Afghan refugees in those countries and the support his Department could provide prior to 18 August 2021.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Between 23 August 2019 and 18 August 2021 the previous Foreign Secretary and Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon met or contacted their counterparts from Afghanistan's neighbours over fifty times to discuss Afghanistan and to advance the Government's priorities in relation to that country. Between these dates this included communication on Afghanistan with their counterparts in Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Uzbekistan and India as well as with NATO, EU states, Canada and the United States.
Amongst these, key engagements for the previous Foreign Secretary included: on 28 June 2021 participating in the Global Coalition Against DAESH Ministerial Meeting in Italy; and on 29 June 2021 meeting with India's Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu.
For Lord Ahmad, these included: meeting External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Shringla, Justice Minister Prasad and Home Minister Reddy during a visit to India between 14 and 20 March 2021; meeting Prime Minister Khan and Foreign Minister Qureshi during a visit to Pakistan between 23 and 24 March 2021; and meeting Uzbek Foreign Minister Kamilov during a visit to Tashkent on 15 and 16 July 2021.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support British nationals and eligible Afghans to leave Afghanistan, transit third countries and reach the UK; and what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) Pakistan, (b) Uzbekistan and (c) Tajikistan on that matter.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The former Foreign Secretary visited Qatar and Pakistan from 1-3 September. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon visited Uzbekistan and Tajikistan from 1-3 September. The former Foreign Secretary had a telephone conversation with the Foreign Minister of Pakistan on 15 and 27 August, the Tajik Foreign Minister on 2 September, and the Uzbek Foreign Minister on 6 September. Lord Ahmad has additionally called the Deputy Foreign Minister of Tajikistan on 23 and 25 August and the Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan on 25 August and the Deputy Foreign Minister on 8 September. Discussions focused on securing safe passage for those fleeing Afghanistan and advancing the government's international priorities. In addition, FCDO Rapid Deployment Teams have been sent to Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to reinforce our Embassy staff to process arrivals from Afghanistan.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on how many occasions he has had discussions on the matter of Afghanistan with his counterparts in (a) Pakistan, (b) Uzbekistan and (c) Tajikistan in the last six months.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The former Foreign Secretary visited Qatar and Pakistan from 1-3 September. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon visited Uzbekistan and Tajikistan from 1-3 September. The former Foreign Secretary had a telephone conversation with the Foreign Minister of Pakistan on 15 and 27 August, the Tajik Foreign Minister on 2 September, and the Uzbek Foreign Minister on 6 September. Lord Ahmad has additionally called the Deputy Foreign Minister of Tajikistan on 23 and 25 August and the Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan on 25 August and the Deputy Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan on 8 September.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure that Afghan nationals are provided with a safe passage to the UK, via third countries if necessary.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We are focused on ensuring safe passage for anyone remaining in Afghanistan who are eligible to come to the UK and wishes to leave. The former Foreign Secretary visited Qatar and Pakistan from 1-3 September to discuss safe passage via third countries. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon also visited Uzbekistan and Tajikistan from 1-3 September. We have been clear to our partners in the region that we have the capacity to process British cases, whether they are nationals or ARAP-eligible cases, and that if they permit eligible vulnerable groups across the border that we will take them directly back to the UK.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken with his counterparts of countries neighbouring Afghanistan to establish a plan to ensure the safety of Afghans seeking refuge.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The former Foreign Secretary visited Qatar and Pakistan from 1-3 September. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon visited Uzbekistan and Tajikistan from 1-3 September. The former Foreign Secretary had a telephone conversation with the Foreign Minister of Pakistan on 15 and 27 August, the Tajik Foreign Minister on 2 September, and the Uzbek Foreign Minister on 6 September. Lord Ahmad has additionally called the Deputy Foreign Minister of Tajikistan on 23 and 25 August and the Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan on 25 August and the Deputy Foreign Minister on 8 September. Discussions focused on securing safe passage for those fleeing Afghanistan and advancing the government's international priorities. On 3 September, the FCDO announced £30 million in additional humanitarian funding to assist the regional response to the surge in refugees.