Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken recent steps to help ensure the security of university and college lecturers in Afghanistan who (a) worked for the British Council and (b) made applications under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.

Under the third pathway of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), and in year one, the Government is considering eligible, at-risk British Council contractors for resettlement (as well as eligible at-risk Gardaworld contractors and Chevening alumni). In the first year, we will offer up to 1500 places to eligible at-risk British Council contractors, GardaWorld contractors, and Chevening alumni, including their eligible family members. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are reviewing each Expression of Interest (EOI) to assess if the eligibility criteria have been met, and have started notifying individuals of the outcome. Expressions of Interest are being considered in the order they were received. Some are being prioritised because their role or the projects they worked on mean they are particularly at risk, or because there are exceptionally compelling circumstances.