Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Visa Applications from Afghanistan: Women and Girls

Monday 22 May 2023 · 5 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 5 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial Department supports over 24,000 people who have arrived in the UK under Operation Pitting and resettled through various schemes.
  • The case of five British children in hiding in Kabul with an Afghan mother seeking a visa is under consideration, with officials assisting.
  • The Home Office is willing to discuss humanitarian visas for female judges and prosecutors who faced threats after being encouraged by the UK to take up their roles.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Immigration Women & Equalities
Context

More than 24,000 people have arrived in the UK under Operation Pitting, with 21,000 resettled through the Afghan relocations and assistance policy or the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme. There is no visa application centre in Afghanistan due to security reasons.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to support women and girls applying for UK visas from Afghanistan?

Answer from Robert Jenrick

More than 24,000 people have arrived in the UK under Operation Pitting, with 21,000 resettled through the Afghan relocations and assistance policy or the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme. There is not a visa application centre in Afghanistan for security reasons, but those who have left can make an application normally. The ACRS is designed to support vulnerable people such as women and girls at risk.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide specific steps or mechanisms beyond stating the scheme's existence.

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Q2 Munira Wilson Lib Dem Twickenham
Immigration Children & Families
Context

Five British children have been in hiding in Kabul for 18 months, with only one attending school. The Afghan mother cannot secure a visa to travel to Pakistan to do biometrics.

Question

For the fourth time, I raise the case of five British children who are in hiding in Kabul and whose Afghan mother cannot secure a visa due to safety concerns. Will the Minister waive the requirement for biometrics in this case?

Answer from Robert Jenrick

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her tenacious representation of her constituents. She knows I intervened personally to seek a swift resolution. The application is under consideration, and officials are speaking with the office to help progress it.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not commit to waiving biometrics but indicates ongoing efforts to resolve the case.

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Q3 Julian Lewis Con New Forest East
Women & Equalities
Context

The treatment of female population by the Taliban is described as enslavement, referencing a Sky correspondent's film on the issue.

Question

Does the Minister accept that the female population of Afghanistan is enslaved? Will he look at early-day motion 1188 marking the 90th anniversary of an organisation rescuing female academics from potential enslavement?

Answer from Robert Jenrick

I would be pleased to look at the material recommended, in particular the early-day motion. The treatment of women and girls by the Taliban is abhorrent; we condemn it and created the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme to support as many as possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not commit to looking at the early-day motion but discusses the ACRS in general terms.

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Q4 Joanna Cherry SNP
Justice & Courts Women & Equalities
Context

Female judges and prosecutors were encouraged by the UK to take up roles, but now face threats of persecution from the Taliban.

Question

I recently had a meeting with the Prime Minister about the plight of female judges and prosecutors who were encouraged by the UK to take up their roles. Will the Minister assure me that the Home Office would be sympathetic to humanitarian visas for these women?

Answer from Robert Jenrick

I would be very happy to look into this. The hon. and learned Lady has campaigned on this issue since the fall of Kabul, so perhaps a useful way forward would be for her and I to meet to discuss this further.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not commit to looking into humanitarian visas but suggests meeting to discuss.

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Q5 Tracey Crouch Con
Asylum & Refugees Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The Home Office granted visas to the Afghan women's junior development football team, but many other sportswomen face severe recriminations if they participate.

Question

As part of the Government's resettlement scheme for Afghan citizens facing threats from the Taliban, what is being done to support sportswomen who wish to come to the UK to play their sports?

Answer from Robert Jenrick

The ACRS is a scheme designed to help more women and girls out of Afghanistan to a place of safety and a new life in the UK, considering the restrictions on sports participation and severe recriminations for athletes.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide specific steps but mentions ACRS as general support.

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