MP is writing to Government for clarification
This morning Mr Speaker granted John Baron MP an Urgent Question to ask the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office about the roughly 170 British Council contractors who remain in Afghanistan. The Afghan Citizens Relocation Scheme (ACRS) opened a window for the contractors to apply on Monday, which will remain open for two months. However, it appears that submissions will not be considered until this window closes, rather than considering them as they come in.
In the Chamber, John said,
“Around 170 British Council contractors remain in Afghanistan in fear of their lives as they move from house to house as they are hunted by the Taliban. This is ten months after the fall of Kabul and Operation Pitting. After pressure in this place, the opening of the ACRS scheme on Monday was welcome. However, the application window is open for two months. There is ambiguity as to whether those deemed at high risk will be expedited before this window closes, otherwise asking them to wait further until August for the process to start is simply unacceptable.”
“I therefore seek clarity from the Government…Will submissions from those who are deemed to be at ‘very high risk’ and ‘high risk’ be processed before the closing of the application window in two months’ time? Will their relocation to the UK or, in the interim, a third country, also be expedited so that they are able to leave Afghanistan as soon as they have been approved under ACRS?”
The Minister, Vicky Ford MP, responded that John is a great champion of the British Council, and that the Government will support those who are at very high risk. However, even though these people are known to the British Government, having been classified as such, there was no clarity that their cases would be expedited before the window closes.
John said afterwards,
“Unfortunately the Minister did not provide the clarity that I was seeking. It remains unclear whether submissions will be acted upon as they come in, or whether they will only be considered once the window closes in August. This is unacceptable given they have already been waiting ten months for help. We already know who many of these people are, and further delays expose them to more danger. I am writing to the Foreign Secretary to further seek clarification.”
Notes to Editors:
John’s WPQs on the British Council contractors and the ACRS scheme are available at:
