Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to introduce a longer-term global resettlement programme for refugees who wish to come to the UK.

The UK has a long history of supporting refugees in need of protection. The UK continues to welcome vulnerable people through the existing global UK Resettlement Scheme, Mandate Resettlement Scheme, Community Sponsorship Scheme and Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.

Since 2015, we have resettled more than 27,000 refugees through safe and legal routes directly from regions of conflict and instability - around half of whom were children.

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) commenced on 6 January and will provide up to 20,000 women, children, and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK.

In addition to our resettlement schemes, we also operate the following safe and legal routes:

• Refugee family reunion, which enables the spouse or partner and children of a refugee sponsor who are under 18 years of age to join their family member in the UK. More than 39,500 family reunion visas have been granted since 2015
• Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP), for current or former locally employed Afghan staff working for or alongside the UK Government. We have relocated over 8,000 people under ARAP so far, with more continuing to arrive.
• A bespoke immigration route for British National (Overseas) status holders and their family members in Hong Kong, which reflects the UK’s historic and moral commitment to those who elected to retain their ties with the UK after Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997. The route was launched in response to China’s passing of the National Security Law in Hong Kong which significantly impacts the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong. As of the end of December 2021, there have been 97,057 successful grants since the route launched on 31 January 2021.

In response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Government has introduced two new schemes: the Ukraine Family Scheme announced on 4 March, and for those without family links to the UK, the Homes for Ukraine Scheme announced 14 March.

Resettlement is only one strand of our international efforts helping refugees. It is complemented by the UK’s significant humanitarian aid programme and diplomatic efforts.

More information on existing resettlement schemes can be found in the published guidance Resettlement: policy guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Afghan citizens resettlement scheme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Further information on the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine Scheme can be found in the published guidance Apply for a Ukraine Family Scheme visa - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Homes for Ukraine – Homes for Ukraine – Local Sponsorship Scheme for Ukraine (campaign.gov.uk)

More information on safe and legal routes can be found here: Nationality and Borders Bill: Factsheet Safe and Legal Routes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)