Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities seeking to facilitate family reunification as part of the Syrian Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Work continues with local authorities and international partners to deliver the Government’s commitment to resettle 20,000 refugees under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) by 2020, including those with family links in the UK, and we are on track to do this. The Mandate Resettlement Scheme also allows those recognised by the UNCHR as refugees to join close family members here in the UK.

We always aim to resettle families referred to the UK’s resettlement schemes by the UNHCR as close as possible to any family members already here in the UK, however this is subject to the availability of suitable and sustainable accommodation and relevant support services in that area.

We are working with key stakeholders and international partners on our future Asylum and Resettlement Strategy. This includes consideration of the UK’s resettlement offer beyond 2020.