Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to remarks by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 18 December 2023 (HL Deb cols 2046–2049), how they are assisting former Afghan soldiers who were trained by the UK and worked with British forces, particularly those now facing the risk of being sent back to Afghanistan from Pakistan; and what discussions they have had with their Pakistan counterparts to ensure their safe passage and sanctuary.

The Ministry of Defence continues to work alongside the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office in constructive talks with the Government of Pakistan to ensure UK-sponsored Afghans in Pakistan are protected from the threat of deportation. However, it is the case that we can only extend UK Government support to Afghans in Pakistan who are eligible for our Afghan resettlement schemes.

The ARAP scheme is more generous in its eligibility criteria than predecessor schemes. Nonetheless, it was designed to support those who worked for, with or alongside the UK's Armed Forces in support - critically - of the UK's mission or national security objectives in Afghanistan.

Each ARAP application is assessed on a case-by-case basis, with all applications, including those from former members of the Afghan security forces, scrutinised on their own merits in line with our published policy and eligibility criteria. All applicants, irrespective of job role, will only be eligible if they individually meet these criteria outlined in the published policy.

This means that some Afghans whose bravery and heroism are in no doubt whatsoever, will not be eligible for relocation under ARAP.