Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

ARAP Ineligibility: Wellbeing of Personnel

Monday 8 January 2024 · 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 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial assessment acknowledges disappointment among UK military personnel over ineligibility of Afghan colleagues for ARAP.
  • Former Afghan colleagues of UK military personnel face uncertainty, causing distress to those who served alongside them.
  • Minister indicates around 400 to 500 members of Afghan special forces may be in need of special consideration but UK cannot verify this number.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Joanna Cherry SNP
Defence Veterans
Context

Concerns over the ineligibility of certain Afghan armed forces personnel for the Afghan relocations and assistance policy affecting serving and retired military personnel.

Question

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the ineligibility of certain Afghan armed forces personnel for the Afghan relocations and assistance policy on the wellbeing of serving and retired military personnel.

Answer from James Heappey

It is undoubtedly the case that many of those who served in Afghanistan are deeply disappointed that those they served with, either in the Afghan national army or the Afghan special forces, or in the wider apparatus of the state, have not been able to come.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide a detailed assessment of the potential impact on wellbeing as requested.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Joanna Cherry SNP
Veterans
Context

A constituent who served in Afghanistan reported that current and retired members of the armed forces are experiencing considerable torment due to the situation of former Afghan colleagues.

Question

I thank the Minister for his answer. A constituent who served in Afghanistan told me recently that current and retired members of our armed forces face considerable torment when they see their former Afghan colleagues left high and dry by the British Government. What active steps is the Minister taking to provide support to our service personnel in that situation, and to reunite the small but fortunate band of Afghan veterans that make it to the UK with their British service colleagues?

Answer from James Heappey

Within the serving cohort, such is the turnover of staffing within the armed forces that very few will have had direct operational experience alongside either the Afghan armed forces or even the patrol interpreters and others who are eligible for ARAP, but the hon. and learned Lady is right that some element of the serving force will be deeply invested in this matter. Obviously the chain of command is there to support them and answer their questions. Within the veterans community, the sentiment is very strongly held.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide specific active steps being taken to address the issue.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q3 Julian Lewis Con New Forest East
Immigration Foreign Affairs
Context

Concern over members of the Afghan special forces who worked closely with British forces facing a constant threat to their lives.

Question

Surely special consideration must be given to those members of the Afghan special forces who, even if they did not work directly for us, worked extremely closely with us. Can the Minister tell the House how many, or how few, members specifically of the Triples and the special forces face a constant threat to their lives and ought to be rescued?

Answer from James Heappey

The number that is circulated is around 400 to 500, but that is not a number that the UK Government can necessarily verify because we do not have the employment records of those units.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide verification or active steps for rescue as requested.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)