Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy applications have not received an initial response within three months since September 2021.

All applicants receive a confirmation of receipt automatically on making their applications.

Thereafter caseworkers are focussed on matching employment records to applicants to prioritise applicants with a higher chance of approval. As I have said in the House on a number of occasions, my priority is identifying those who worked with the UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan as quickly as possible.