Refugees: Syria

(asked on 24th June 2015) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects to meet the UK's commitments on the number of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees to be relocated to the UK.


Answered by
James Brokenshire Portrait
James Brokenshire
This question was answered on 10th July 2015

From the first arrivals in March 2014 and 30 March 2015 (the most recent published data), 187 people were relocated to the UK under the Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme. We have been clear that there is no set target for numbers accepted under the scheme as it is based on need, rather than designed to meet a set quota. The scheme was intended to provide protection to several hundred people over three years and we remain on track to do that. The Prime Minister recently announced a modest expansion of the scheme and we will work closely with UNHCR to identify and resettle more vulnerable Syrians whose need can only be met in countries like the UK. Furthermore, we continue to consider Syrian asylum claims under our normal rules. Since the crisis began in 2011 we have granted asylum or other forms of leave to over 4,200 Syrian nationals and dependants.

A number of local authorities already participate in the scheme and several more have expressed an interest in participating. We hope that they will soon commit to provide places. We remain confident that we can continue to meet the needs of arrivals in the UK as planned. Of course, as the scheme is based on vulnerability, including women and children at risk, people with medical needs and survivors of torture and violence, it would not be appropriate for us to release details of where individuals are currently being placed or where they may be placed in the future, as this may undermine their privacy and recovery.

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