Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of refugee families which are reunited in the UK.

The UK immigration rules have a comprehensive framework for refugees and their families to be safely reunited in the UK. Our family reunion policy allows immediate family members of those granted protection here to reunite with them. The Immigration Rules also provide for relatives with protection in the UK to sponsor children in serious and compelling circumstances. The Mandate resettlement scheme also allows those recognised by the UNCHR as refugees to join close family members here in the UK.

In addition, there is provision in the policy to grant visas outside the Rules in exceptional circumstances, which caters for extended family members who otherwise do not qualify under the Rules.

Over the last five years there have been 24,700 family reunion visas issued – and this is in addition to the numbers granted asylum here or resettled here under our resettlement schemes.

We issued revised policy guidance on considering family reunion applications in July 2016, and we need to ensure that this policy and our existing resettlement schemes are used to full effect to benefit family members living in regions of conflict and fleeing persecution.