Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the criteria used by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to assess applicants for the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme (1) gives priority to religious minorities, in particular Hazara Shias, and (2) meets the priorities identified by the Home Office for the scheme.

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) commenced on 6th January, providing up to 20,000 women, children and others at risk with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK.

The scheme will prioritise those who have assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for UK values such as democracy, women’s rights, freedom of speech and rule of law; and vulnerable people such as members of minority groups, including ethnic and religious minorities, as well as women and girls at risk, and LGBT+.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will refer refugees to the scheme. Those referred by UNHCR will be assessed for resettlement by UNHCR using their established process, and in line with their resettlement submission categories.

The third referral pathway will focus on those at risk who supported the UK and international community effort in Afghanistan and the region. In the first year of this third referral pathway, the Government will offer ACRS places to eligible at-risk British Council and GardaWorld contractors and Chevening alumni. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will be in touch with those eligible to support them through the next steps.

Beyond the first year of the third pathway, we will work with international partners and NGOs to welcome wider groups of people who are at risk in Afghanistan and the region.