Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has set an annual numerical cap on arrivals through each of the three new refugee sponsorship routes.

These routes will be capped and controlled by the Government. The Government expects arrivals of UNHCR-approved refugees across the new routes and the existing UK Resettlement Scheme to number in the hundreds initially, growing into the low thousands as levels of illegal migration fall. Further details on the cap will be set out in due course.

Individuals cannot apply directly to the routes. Instead, sponsors will identify eligible refugees overseas, with accredited lead sponsors referring cases to the Home Office for consideration.

The routes have been designed with robust safeguards in place. Individuals referred under the new sponsorship routes will have their refugee status determined by UNHCR. They will also undergo robust Home Office identity, security and suitability checks before being approved to travel to the UK. Relevant criminal history will be considered as part of those checks. The Government will retain control over which organisations can act as sponsors and will assure the operation of the routes.