Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2024 to Question 21043 on Afghanistan: Refugees, in how many and what proportion of reassessed ARAP applications has the applicant been assessed as being eligible for relocation.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The reassessment of applications from those with credible links to former Afghan specialist units began on March 26 and I can confirm that overturned decisions have already been communicated to applicants.
As I stated in my answer to Question 21043, my immediate priority is to process all cases as diligently and swiftly as is possible. I will update the House once the review is completed.
Asked by: Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the family reunification route for Afghans in the UK, under Pathway 1 of the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme, will open; and what assessment they have made of the level of danger faced by the spouses and children who remain in Afghanistan of those who have resettled in the UK with indefinite leave to remain.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government remains committed to providing protection for vulnerable and at-risk people fleeing Afghanistan. The situation continues to be complex and presents significant challenges, including how those who are eligible for resettlement in the UK can leave the country.
For those evacuated from Afghanistan under Pathway 1 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) without their immediate family members, the Home Secretary has committed to establishing a route for separated families to be reunited in the first half of this year. Further details will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department plans to publish draft guidance on the family reunion route for Afghan nationals under pathway one of the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
We committed to opening the route for separated families under Pathway 1 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) for referrals in the first half of this year and we remain on track to meet that deadline. Guidance will be published when the route is opened.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many appeals of an initial eligibility decision under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy have been made; and how many and what proportion of these appeals were successful.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Published policy for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) indicates that every principal applicant to the scheme is entitled to request a review within 90 days of receipt of an initial eligibility decision. Applicants should seek a review if new or further information which supports their ARAP application has become available since the initial eligibility decision.
As of 19 April 2024, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has received over 96,000 unique ARAP applications and a total of 6,268 requests for a review of an initial eligibility decision. 21 initial decisions have been overturned.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2024 to Question 15728 on Afghanistan: Refugees, how many applicants are awaiting an eligibility decision as of 18 April 2024.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As of 23 April 2024, 2,352 applicants are awaiting an initial eligibility decision under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme.
Of these, 632 are applications raised in the last 3 months and 1,720 applications are complex cases awaiting an eligibility decision. The ARAP scheme remains open, and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has received over 96,000 principal applications in total.
Defence is working hard to consider all remaining applications, conducting checks and seeking additional information to ensure a decision can be made.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) principals and (b) dependents are being housed in military accommodation under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy as of 18 April 2024.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As of 22 April 2024, our records show around 4,602 Afghans (principal applicants and family members) eligible for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme (ARAP) are being housed in military accommodation.
This includes 2,452 Afghans in settled Service Family Accommodation, and 2,150 Afghans in temporary Reception Sites and transitional Service Family Accommodation prior to onwards movement into settled accommodation.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Afghan people are (a) in the UK and (b) awaiting an initial decision on their eligibility under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme as of 18 April 2024.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As of 23 April 2024, we have relocated over 16,300 Afghans to the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP).
For statistics on the number of ARAP applicants awaiting a decision, I refer the right hon. Member to my answer to Question 22470.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Afghan (a) principals and (b) dependents are being housed in hotel accommodation under the (i) Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and (ii) Afghan citizens resettlement scheme.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The UK has made an ambitious and generous commitment to resettle Afghans fleeing persecution and those who served the UK.
The latest published Immigration system statistics, year ending December 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) show that (up to the end of December 2023) we have brought around 27,900 people to safety from Afghanistan and the region.
These statistics also show that:
Afghan operational data is viewable at Afghan Resettlement Programme: operational data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will increase multi-year funding to support (a) the most food-insecure people in Sudan and (b) Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK provided £42.6 million in humanitarian aid to support people in Sudan in 2023-2024, including £12.2 million to UNICEF for nutrition activities and approximately £23 million to the Sudan Humanitarian Fund for multisector response, including a high proportion of food security interventions. We also helped those fleeing to neighbouring countries in 2023-24, with £7.75 million to support existing and new Sudanese refugees as well as vulnerable returnees and host communities in South Sudan and £15 million to those in Chad. In 2024/2025, UK ODA to Sudan will nearly double to £89 million, including funding to UNICEF to provide emergency and life-saving food assistance. The UK will also be working with the World Food Programme to assist in the provision of assorted food commodities to people in Sudan.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help prevent widespread famine in Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK continues to push for improved humanitarian access into and within Sudan to assist people who are hungry. In 2024/2025, UK ODA to Sudan will nearly double to £89 million. This was announced during Minister Mitchell's visit to the Chad border this month, where he met refugees fleeing the conflict, including many displaced by hunger as well as violence. UK aid will include funding to UNICEF which will provide emergency and life-saving food assistance to support people particularly in hard-to reach areas; and the World Food Programme to assist over 285,000 beneficiaries for 6 months by providing 13,405 tons of assorted food commodities such cereals, pulses, oils and salt. Ultimately the best way to ensure people don't go hungry is for the violence to end, and the UK continues to do all we can to press the parties into a permanent ceasefire.