Refugees: Afghanistan

(asked on 17th November 2021) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that Afghans who are (a) not eligible under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and (b) at risk of harm from the Taliban in Afghanistan are given assistance before the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme opens.


Answered by
James Cleverly Portrait
James Cleverly
Home Secretary
This question was answered on 22nd November 2021

We have committed to provide £286 million in humanitarian and development support and continue to explore the best ways to provide support to the Afghan people. The Prime Minister's Special Representative for the Afghan Transition, Sir Simon Gass, and Chargé d'Affaires of the UK Mission to Afghanistan in Doha, Dr Martin Longden, travelled to Afghanistan on 5 October to hold talks with the Taliban. Sir Simon and Dr Longden stressed the need to ensure continued safe passage for those who wish to leave the country and respect human rights, including the rights of minorities and women and girls.

During Op PITTING we were able to get approval for evacuation of a number of Afghan nationals, to whom the Home Secretary agreed to grant Leave Outside the Rules to enter the UK, in addition to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy contingent and British nationals. These people were identified as being particularly at risk and not all were able to leave before the end of the Operation. Providing assistance to those individuals eligible for HMG support remains our priority.

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