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Written Question
Afghanistan: Refugees
Wednesday 13th December 2023

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Newnham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the recent change in their policy regarding the cap on the number of Afghans eligible to come to the UK under Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, what plans they have to charter planes to allow those to leave Pakistan and arrive in the UK via a safe route.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will see up to 20,000 people from Afghanistan and the region resettled to the UK over the coming years.

Flights for those being resettled under the ACRS are organised by the International Organisation for Migration, in line with requests from the Home Office. As flights are operational you will appreciate, we cannot go into operational details.

We will continue to honour our commitment to bring eligible Afghans to the UK, with new arrivals going directly into settled accommodation where possible.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Mar 2022
Ukraine: Refugees

"My Lords, in light of that answer, can the Minister say whether there will be an opportunity for people to apply for visas in this country rather than being kept at Calais? Secondly, the Secretary of State for Defence was unable to answer a question on the radio this morning …..."
Baroness Smith of Newnham - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Mar 2022
Nationality and Borders Bill

"My Lords, I give the Liberal Democrats’ support for this amendment and pay tribute to the noble Lords, Lord Alton and Lord Patten of Barnes, for their repeated campaigns to support Hong Kong and in particular young Hong Kongers.

It is perhaps right that the noble Baroness, Lady Williams of …..."
Baroness Smith of Newnham - View Speech

View all Baroness Smith of Newnham (LD - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Nationality and Borders Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Mar 2022
Nationality and Borders Bill

"My Lords, I rise to support both amendments, and again pay tribute to the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Craig of Radley, for bringing the issue of veterans who have served in her Majesty’s Armed Forces Hong Kong. There are some issues that come back to the Chamber again and …..."
Baroness Smith of Newnham - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Mar 2022
Nationality and Borders Bill

"My Lords, I support this amendment. The hour is very late and it is customary at this time of night to say that I shall be brief. I am not proposing to say that—which is probably just as well because, normally, if a noble Lord says they are going to …..."
Baroness Smith of Newnham - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Mar 2022
Nationality and Borders Bill

"No. The person who was unable to answer the question was the Secretary of State for Defence, on the radio this morning. He basically said, “It is a Home Office matter and, by the way, we are rather too busy with Ukraine.” That was the impression that he gave...."
Baroness Smith of Newnham - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 02 Nov 2021
Refugees: Status

"My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Lilley, was perhaps at risk of confusing the issue somewhat. He appeared to be talking about economic migration, which is not the same as asylum seeking. Does the Minister agree that the two are different, and does she agree that it is the right …..."
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 14 Oct 2021
Iraqi Interpreters

"My Lords, during the Recess, I was in Bosnia-Herzegovina on a trip led by Colonel Bob Stewart. During the Bosnian war, one of his interpreters was killed, he believes, for uttering the words that he was speaking. That demonstrates clearly how vulnerable interpreters are, whether in Iraq or Afghanistan. ARAP …..."
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 15 Sep 2021
Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy

"My Lords, the Minister has just stated what the policy will do. Can she tell us when we are going to get details of the resettlement policy? At the moment, there are thousands of people in hiding with no idea of how they are going to get out of Afghanistan …..."
Baroness Smith of Newnham - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 06 Oct 2020
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill

"My Lords, I support the amendment in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Bennett. The concept of no recourse to public funds is one that causes significant difficulties to a small number of people, but for those individuals it can be very significant. Quite how many people fall under …..."
Baroness Smith of Newnham - View Speech

View all Baroness Smith of Newnham (LD - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill