To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of UK nationals evacuated by her Department from Afghanistan during Operation Pitting.
Answered on
20 December 2021
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not routinely ask British nationals to register with a British Embassy or High Commission overseas. Recognising the circumstances in Afghanistan, British nationals still in Afghanistan were asked to register their continued presence to allow the FCDO to maintain contact after the evacuation phase ended. British nationals continue to receive updates from the FCDO on the situation in Afghanistan.
Between 15-28 August over 8,300 British nationals and dependents were evacuated from Afghanistan. Since the end of Operation Pitting, the FCDO has assisted nearly 500 British nationals and their dependents back to the UK. This includes helping 218 British nationals and their dependents leave Afghanistan through Qatari Government charter flights. We continue to work to support British nationals and their eligible dependants to leave Afghanistan if that is their wish.