Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy 2023-09-11 (2)

Monday 11 September 2023 · 3 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial commitment to process remaining 2,000 complex Afghan relocations and assistance policy cases.
  • Commitment to work with local authorities to support Afghans who assisted UK military operations.
  • Minister offered to review a specific case involving an Afghan interpreter and his family.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 David Simmonds Con Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
Immigration Veterans
Context

The question arises from the ongoing processing of Afghan relocation applications and support for individuals who have served in support of UK military operations.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Afghan relocations and assistance policy scheme is effective. I thank my right hon. Friend and his ministerial colleagues for the work done over the summer, including with Hillingdon and Harrow councils in my constituency, on support for those who have served in support of our armed forces. In future, as Afghan bridging operations come to a close, can he commit to work with local authorities to ensure that those who have put their lives on the line supporting our military operations continue to be supported in their new lives here in the UK?

Answer from James Heappey

I said in May to the House that we aim to process all outstanding initial ARAP applications by the end of August. I can report that we have just 2,000 complex cases remaining from more than 93,000 principal applications that we received. We have issued over 58,000 decisions to applicants in the past three months, giving them the clarity they deserve, and we continue to move at best pace to process the remaining applications. I certainly can [commit to work with local authorities].

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific commitment to support Afghans who served alongside UK forces was not addressed beyond a generic statement.

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Q2 David Simmonds Con Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
Immigration Veterans
Context

The question follows a previous discussion on the Afghan relocations and assistance policy scheme's effectiveness.

Question

In future, as Afghan bridging operations come to a close, can he commit to work with local authorities to ensure that those who have put their lives on the line supporting our military operations continue to be supported in their new lives here in the UK?

Answer from James Heappey

I certainly can, Mr Speaker.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific commitment to support Afghans who served alongside UK forces was not addressed beyond a generic statement.

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Q3 Kevan Jones Lab
Immigration Migrants & Borders
Context

The question arises from a specific case involving an Afghan special forces interpreter whose family received a letter threatening deportation.

Question

What liaising does the Minister do with the Home Office? I have an Afghan special forces interpreter who came here having done valiant work during Operation Pitting. His mother, father and siblings left Afghanistan and ended up in Ukraine of all places, and they moved to the UK last year. The Home Office gave them temporary leave to remain, only for them to receive a letter in the past couple of months saying that they would have to be deported back to either Afghanistan, Ukraine or Rwanda. In that case I interceded and the Minister's office helped, but what is going on between his Department and the Home Office?

Answer from James Heappey

From the question, I can see all sorts of ways in which that might present quite a confusing case to colleagues in the Home Office, especially if those in Ukraine proceeded to the UK under a mechanism other than the Afghan relocations and assistance policy. May I look at the detail of the case and come back to the right hon. Gentleman, rather than speculate?

Not addressed: The specific commitment or details about liaising with the Home Office were not provided.

How: May I Look At The Detail Of The Case And Come Back To The Right Hon. Gentleman

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