PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(23 January 2025)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on eligibility for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy of Afghans of changes of refugee policy in the United States of America; and what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact on other Departmental schemes aiming to provide targeted refuge for Afghans.

Asked by:
Mr Calvin Bailey (Labour)

The eligibility criteria of the UK’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) is unaffected by changes in the US. This Government is fully committed to delivering on the pledge made by Parliament to those in Afghanistan who are eligible to relocate and resettle, and we continue to welcome eligible Afghans and their families to the UK through our Afghan resettlement schemes.

The Government has recognised the opportunities for improvements to fixing the foundations of a complicated system and as announced in December 2024 Ministers in multiple government departments are engaging and working collaboratively to deliver a single pipeline for Afghan resettlement. This will deliver greater efficiency and better outcomes across Government, as well as improving the outcomes for eligible Afghans.

Over the past 12 months, the UK has welcomed around 90 eligible families each month and we expect this pace to continue. This cannot, however, be an endless process and ultimately, the Government intends to reach a position where the UK Afghan resettlement schemes can be closed. We will update the House on this accordingly.

Answered by:
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