Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department issues guidance on legal routes to claim asylum in the UK.

Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, we are not bound to consider asylum claims fromoverseas. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.

Our resettlement schemes operate differently to asylum. We have provided safe and legal routes for tens of thousands of people to start new lives in the UK. The UK welcomes people at risk through the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Mandate Resettlement Scheme, Community Sponsorship and the Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme and we have routes for Hong Kongers and Ukrainians via other safe and legal routes. This commitment, alongside a fair and firm asylum system, will ensure we continue to offer safe and legal routes to the UK for those in need of protection. Our focus will remain on helping individuals directly from regions of conflict and instability.

Further information on our resettlement schemes is available on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/resettlement-policy-statement.