Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Afghans with confirmed eligibility for assistance through the ARAP scheme remain in Afghanistan.
As at 16 December 2021, of the 311 ARAP-eligible principals who we were not able to evacuate before the end of OP PITTING; 165 are currently known to be in Afghanistan. The ARAP scheme is not time limited, and we continue to receive and approve applications to the scheme. All those who worked for Her Majesty's Government (HMG) in qualifying roles remain eligible. In addition, those who worked in meaningful enabling roles alongside HMG in extraordinary and unconventional contexts will also be considered. Efforts to support all eligible Afghans and to help them to come to the UK are continuing.