Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to ensure that people from Hazara communities are able to access the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme.

As of June 2023, the UK has granted settled status to around 9,800 individuals under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).

The ACRS is designed to support those who have assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for UK values, as well as vulnerable people, including members of minority groups at risk. The ACRS is a bespoke scheme and is not open to applications. Instead, eligible individuals are prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK through one of three referral pathways, which is a fair and equitable way to identify those in need.

The capacity of the UK to resettle people is not unlimited and difficult decisions have to be made on who will be prioritised for resettlement.

We continue to work with likeminded partners and countries neighbouring Afghanistan on resettlement issues, and to support safe passage for eligible Afghans.