To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether referrals by hon. Members is a valid referral route for the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.
Answered on
23 February 2022
The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will prioritise those who have assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for UK values such as democracy, women’s rights, freedom of speech and rule of law; and vulnerable people such as women and girls at risk, and members of minority groups (including ethnic / religious minorities and LGBT+).
Representations from Members of Parliament have raised the plight of a great number of people from Afghanistan who would wish to relocate to the UK.
These representations have helped to inform the design of the ACRS as a scheme that will help those in need who are particularly vulnerable, including women and children at risk, and minority groups; as well as those who have supported the UK mission in Afghanistan.
All referrals onto the ACRS will be through the three pathways set out in the statement to Parliament of 6 January, which is a fair and equitable way to identify those most in need.
As an additional verification step, we shall check names of eligible British Council and GardaWorld contractors and Chevening alumni against the names of people referred to us by MPs during the evacuation.
Further detail on the three referral pathways can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/afghan-citizens-resettlement-scheme.