1-20 of 27 results for subject:Afghanistan
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To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Minister for Veterans Affairs will provide the Independent inquiry into alleged unlawful activity by UK Special Forces during deliberate detention operations in Afghanistan the names of officers that contacted him with information on such alleged activity.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Minister for Veterans Affairs will provide the Independent inquiry into alleged unlawful activity by UK Special Forces during deliberate detention operations in Afghanistan the names of officers that contacted him with information on such alleged activity.
This question relates to ongoing legal proceedings therefore it would be inappropriate to provide any commentary until the legal process has concluded.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans that all eligible under the (a) Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and (b) Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme will be relocated from (i) Iran, (ii) Pakistan and (iii) other third countries to the UK.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans that all eligible under the (a) Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and (b) Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme will be relocated from (i) Iran, (ii) Pakistan and (iii) other third countries to the UK.
The UK has made an ambitious and generous commitment to help at-risk people in Afghanistan and, so far, we have brought around 24,600 people to safety, including over 21,600, people eligible for the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) schemes, as of September 2023. The Government is committed to relocating all eligible persons who remain in Pakistan and third countries as soon as possible, and have made significant progress in the last few months.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs during his oral statement on Afghan Resettlement Update of 13 December 2023, Official Report, column 911, whether the existing hotel contracts being extended apply only to new arrivals from Afghanistan.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs during his oral statement on Afghan Resettlement Update of 13 December 2023, Official Report, column 911, whether the existing hotel contracts being extended apply only to new arrivals from Afghanistan.
The Government remains committed to ending the systemic use of hotels, and we do not plan to open new hotels to meet the increased demand from new arrivals from Afghanistan.
The information requested on hotel contracts is not publicly available; however, a small number of hotels with existing contracts have been extended for a limited time period to help accommodate Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme arrivals who have yet to be matched to settled housing solutions in the United Kingdom.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his planned timeline for when all eligible personnel under the (a) Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and (b) Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme will be relocated from Pakistan to the UK.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his planned timeline for when all eligible personnel under the (a) Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and (b) Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme will be relocated from Pakistan to the UK.
The UK has made an ambitious and generous commitment to help at-risk people in Afghanistan and, so far, we have brought around 24,600 people to safety, including over 21,600, people eligible for the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) schemes, as of September 2023. The Government is committed to relocating all eligible persons who remain in Pakistan and third countries as soon as possible.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs on 8 November 2023, Official Report, column 114, what responsibility the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs has for Pathway Two of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs on 8 November 2023, Official Report, column 114, what responsibility the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs has for Pathway Two of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.
In October this year, the Prime Minister asked me to coordinate departmental plans for relocating eligible Afghans and their families under both the ARAP and ACRS schemes. Departments retain responsibility for their specific policy areas.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Prime Minister asked him to review the Afghan resettlement schemes.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Prime Minister asked him to review the Afghan resettlement schemes.
Since asking me to lead on convening departments to increase our support to Afghans who have been resettled in the UK to access independent accommodation in February 2023, in October this year the Prime Minister further tasked me with coordinating cross government support for departments responsible for relocating eligible Afghans and their families under the ARAP and ACRS schemes.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 8 November 2023 to an Urgent Question on Pakistan: Evacuation of Afghans by the Minister for Veterans Affairs, Official Report, column 117, on what date he visited each hotel housing Afghans.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 8 November 2023 to an Urgent Question on Pakistan: Evacuation of Afghans by the Minister for Veterans Affairs, Official Report, column 117, on what date he visited each hotel housing Afghans.
From April 2023, my team of advisors and I travelled extensively across the country to visit bridging hotels to meet Afghan families and officials from across Central and Local Government who supported this cohort, ahead of their move into long-term settled accommodation. That effort continues to this day.
Urgent question on the evacuation of Afghans from Pakistan.
Urgent question on the evacuation of Afghans from Pakistan.
What assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the progress made on moving Afghan people from hotels to settled accommodation.
What assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the progress made on moving Afghan people from hotels to settled accommodation.
Hotels are not and never were designed to be long-term accommodation for Afghans resettled in the UK. I am therefore pleased to say that, as of 1 September, in line with our promises, no legally resettled Afghans remain in bridging accommodation. As I told the House on 18 July, there is a small number for whom time-limited contingency accommodation will be provided, including where there is a need to bridge the short gap between the end of notice periods and settled accommodation being ready for them to move into, and in cases of medical need, where a family member requires continued attendance at a specific hospital.
What recent discussions he has held with Cabinet colleagues on supporting Afghan people who have been resettled in the UK to access independent accommodation.
What recent discussions he has held with Cabinet colleagues on supporting Afghan people who have been resettled in the UK to access independent accommodation.
Hotels are not and never were designed to be long-term accommodation for Afghans resettled in the UK. I am therefore pleased to say that, as of 1 September, in line with our promises, no legally resettled Afghans remain in bridging accommodation. As I told the House on 18 July, there is a small number for whom time-limited contingency accommodation will be provided, including where there is a need to bridge the short gap between the end of notice periods and settled accommodation being ready for them to move into, and in cases of medical need, where a family member requires continued attendance at a specific hospital.
Hotels are not and never were designed to be long-term accommodation for Afghans resettled in the UK. I am therefore pleased to say that, as of 1 September, in line with our promises, no legally resettled Afghans remain in bridging accommodation. As I told the House on 18 July, there is a small number for whom time-limited contingency accommodation will be provided, including where there is a need to bridge the short gap between the end of notice periods and settled accommodation being ready for them to move into, and in cases of medical need, where a family member requires continued attendance at a specific hospital.
Hotels are not and never were designed to be long-term accommodation for Afghans resettled in the UK. I am therefore pleased to say that, as of 1 September, in line with our promises, no legally resettled Afghans remain in bridging accommodation. As I told the House on 18 July, there is a small number for whom time-limited contingency accommodation will be provided, including where there is a need to bridge the short gap between the end of notice periods and settled accommodation being ready for them to move into, and in cases of medical need, where a family member requires continued attendance at a specific hospital.
What assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the progress made on moving Afghan people from hotels to settled accommodation.
I thank my hon. Friend for her question and pay tribute to all those working locally in her constituency to prepare to welcome Afghan families to the area. North Devon is steeped in military history. I am pleased to see her long-standing support for veterans extend to those who assisted the UK in Afghanistan as well.
I thank my hon. Friend for her question and pay tribute to all those working locally in her constituency to prepare to welcome Afghan families to the area. North Devon is steeped in military history. I am pleased to see her long-standing support for veterans extend to those who assisted the UK in Afghanistan as well.
Will my right hon. Friend join me in welcoming the new Afghan families to North Devon and thank everyone locally who is working to ensure that their resettlement is as smooth as possible and to give them a true Devonian welcome?
Largely because these are two different cohorts. Ukrainians are looking to return to Ukraine in the future; the Afghan cohort are staying here and will be in this country for an indeterminate period. We are looking at all ways that we can continue to assist those who have come over from Afghanistan. I, too, pay tribute to all the Home Office liaison officers and all the staff in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and in the Ministry of Defence who have worked hard to get this over the line. I said that we would honour our commitments to the people of Afghanistan and we will continue to do so.
Largely because these are two different cohorts. Ukrainians are looking to return to Ukraine in the future; the Afghan cohort are staying here and will be in this country for an indeterminate period. We are looking at all ways that we can continue to assist those who have come over from Afghanistan. I, too, pay tribute to all the Home Office liaison officers and all the staff in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and in the Ministry of Defence who have worked hard to get this over the line. I said that we would honour our commitments to the people of Afghanistan and we will continue to do so.
I record my admiration for, and thank, the many public and voluntary agencies and individuals in Fife for the dedication and compassion that they have shown to the Afghans they have hosted over the last two years. Sadly, those Afghans are becoming victims of the biggest mass eviction that Scotland has seen since the highland clearances. When we remember that those people are here because they risked their lives for us—they risked their lives in Afghanistan for democracy—why have the Government not even considered a Homes for Afghans scheme, similar to the Homes for Ukraine scheme that made such a difference to desperate Ukrainian refugees?
The hon. Member knows that this has been a long-standing concern of mine, both before Government and in Government. My area of specific responsibility in terms of getting people here and into hotels and accommodation has been completed. That is a Home Office area, and I have not had discussions on it so far, but everybody is aware of our commitment to the people who served in Afghanistan, and the Government will follow through on their commitment to those people.
The hon. Member knows that this has been a long-standing concern of mine, both before Government and in Government. My area of specific responsibility in terms of getting people here and into hotels and accommodation has been completed. That is a Home Office area, and I have not had discussions on it so far, but everybody is aware of our commitment to the people who served in Afghanistan, and the Government will follow through on their commitment to those people.
The Minister will be acutely aware, as I am, that around 2,000 Afghans who are entitled to the Afghan relocations and assistance policy are stuck in hotels in Islamabad. I know that he has seen the letter that went to the Prime Minister, which I signed along with other colleagues. What is the plan to get those 2,000 ARAP-entitled Afghans into settled accommodation?
I recognise the ongoing concerns about those who remain in Afghanistan. The Prime Minister has asked me to do what I can to get the Afghans who are currently in hotels into long-term accommodation in the UK. That will allow us to turn back on those flights out of Afghanistan. I recognise that there are still people there who should be in the UK, and I will, of course, look at the case my hon. Friend raises later today. That process of bringing people out of Afghanistan remains with the MOD, but it will have heard his comments and I will do everything I can to help him.
I recognise the ongoing concerns about those who remain in Afghanistan. The Prime Minister has asked me to do what I can to get the Afghans who are currently in hotels into long-term accommodation in the UK. That will allow us to turn back on those flights out of Afghanistan. I recognise that there are still people there who should be in the UK, and I will, of course, look at the case my hon. Friend raises later today. That process of bringing people out of Afghanistan remains with the MOD, but it will have heard his comments and I will do everything I can to help him.
I say to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs that we are grateful for the work he does. Can he ask those in his private office whether they will show him the message I sent him yesterday about the secretary to a governor in Afghanistan, who is in hiding and whose grandfather has been killed trying to protect him, to see whether there is anything the British Government can do to allow him to come out of Afghanistan?
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Afghanistan Veterans' Fund at achieving its objectives.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Afghanistan Veterans' Fund at achieving its objectives.
In September 2021, the Government announced that Armed Forces charities would receive £5 million in additional funding to support veterans, including those who may be struggling following events in Afghanistan.
Whilst a full qualitative and quantitative analysis of this funding will be undertaken by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (AFCFT), who have administered this on behalf of the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, at the appropriate time, the AFCFT has already seen positive impacts during their mid-programmes reviews.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings the Minister for Veterans Affairs has with Ministers responsible for Afghan schemes since 2 February 2023.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings the Minister for Veterans Affairs has with Ministers responsible for Afghan schemes since 2 February 2023.
I refer the Member for Newport East to the answer given to the Right Honourable Member for Wentworth and Dearne on 16th May 2023 (184567).
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 2 May to question 182778 on Refugees: Afghanistan, on what dates the Minister for Veterans' Affairs met other ministers on Afghan resettlement since 2 February 2023.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 2 May to question 182778 on Refugees: Afghanistan, on what dates the Minister for Veterans' Affairs met other ministers on Afghan resettlement since 2 February 2023.
It has been the standard practice of successive Administrations not to publish granular information relating to ministerial meetings. I remain committed to engaging with colleagues across government to support Afghans who have been resettled in the UK to access independent accommodation.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings the Minister for Veterans' Affairs has had with Ministers responsible for Afghan schemes since 2 February 2023.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings the Minister for Veterans' Affairs has had with Ministers responsible for Afghan schemes since 2 February 2023.
I refer my Rt Hon. Friend to the answer given to his question on 2nd May 2023 (182778).
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2023 to Question 180997 on Refugees: Afghanistan, how many meetings the Minister for Veterans Affairs has held with relevant Ministers responsible for Afghan schemes since 2 February 2023.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2023 to Question 180997 on Refugees: Afghanistan, how many meetings the Minister for Veterans Affairs has held with relevant Ministers responsible for Afghan schemes since 2 February 2023.
The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs has held various meetings with ministers, advisors and officials regarding Afghan resettlement since February 2023, and continues to engage with colleagues across government as we intensify our support to Afghans who have been resettled in the UK to access independent accommodation.