Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason he has not established a family reunification visa scheme for people in Gaza.

The Government recognises that some people impacted by the conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories may wish to join family in the UK.

The Government currently has no plans to introduce bespoke arrangements for people arriving from the region who do not hold permission to come to the UK. Palestinians who wish to join family members in the UK must do so via the existing range of routes available.

The Government allows individuals with protection status in the UK to sponsor their partner or children to join them in the UK through our refugee family reunion policy, provided they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country of origin to seek protection.

There are additional safe and legal routes for people to come to the UK should they wish to join family members here, work or study. They would need to meet the requirements of the relevant Immigration Rule under which they were applying to qualify for a visa.

The Home Office has not considered establishing a separate resettlement route for Palestinians to come to the UK. Since 2015, over half a million people have been offered safe and legal routes into the UK.