Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2023 to Question 4616 on Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations, what steps his Department is taking to verify whether Afghan applicants to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) served in (a) Commando Force 333 and (b) Afghanistan Territorial Force 444; and whether ARAP caseworkers have the required security clearance to conduct such checks.

Each application to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme is considered on a case-by-case basis against a set of criteria in our published policy. Our caseworkers assess all information and evidence provided by applicants, including anything submitted related to prior employment. In essence, eligibility decisions are made by examining each ARAP application on its individual merits.

All ARAP caseworkers have the required security clearance to process applications.