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Afghanistan: How many people has the UK resettled? Afghanistan: How many people has the UK resettled?
(3 months later)
A retired army general has criticised the government for not doing enough to evacuate Afghans who previously worked with the British, after the Taliban seized Kabul in August 2021. It's been a year since the Taliban took control in Afghanistan, almost 20 years after they had been ousted by a US-led coalition.
Gen Sir John McColl said the UK was "not delivering" on its pledge to help its former staff and their families. The UK was closely involved with the evacuation of British nationals and those who had worked for the British.
About 18,000 people were evacuated from Afghanistan by the UK government last summer, including more than 6,000 British nationals.
How many Afghans have been resettled in the UK?How many Afghans have been resettled in the UK?
In April 2021 - before the Taliban took control - the government launched a new scheme to resettle Afghans in the UK called the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). The government says that more than 21,000 Afghan refugees have been resettled in the UK.
The Ministry of Defence says 9,000 people have been relocated since ARAP's launch. Most came as part of Operation Pitting, which was the British military operation starting on 13 August 2021 to evacuate British nationals and Afghans from Kabul.
Under the scheme, Afghans who worked for the British military and UK government - for example, as interpreters - are able to settle permanently in the UK, rather than the five years' residency which was previously offered. About 2,000 came before Operation Pitting
15,000 were involved with Operation Pitting
5,000 have arrived since then.
They have been resettled under several schemes and we do not have breakdowns of how many were involved with each scheme.
The Home Office said another 1,400 former staff and their families had already been relocated since 2013 under the earlier Ex-Gratia scheme.The Home Office said another 1,400 former staff and their families had already been relocated since 2013 under the earlier Ex-Gratia scheme.
In addition to ARAP, the government opened the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) in January 2022, which will allow up to 20,000 refugees to settle in the UK. In April 2021 - before the Taliban took control - the government launched a new scheme to resettle Afghans in the UK called the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP).
Under that scheme, Afghans who worked for the British military and UK government - for example, as interpreters - are able to settle permanently in the UK, rather than the five years' residency which was previously offered.
In addition to ARAP, the government opened the Afghan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) in January 2022, which it says will allow up to 20,000 refugees to settle in the UK.
This scheme focuses on women and children as well as religious and other minorities in danger from the Taliban.This scheme focuses on women and children as well as religious and other minorities in danger from the Taliban.
In September, a government factsheet said it would welcome 5,000 Afghans in the first year. Immediate family members of those eligible under either the ACRS or ARAP schemes are also eligible for resettlement in the UK
The government announced that the first Afghan family had been resettled under this scheme in January 2022. But it hasn't said how many people have been resettled under ACRS since then.
How many Afghans applied to be evacuated?How many Afghans applied to be evacuated?
The government hasn't confirmed how many Afghans have asked to come to the UK. In written evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee, Raphael Marshall, who previously worked on the Foreign Office's Afghanistan crisis response, estimated that between 75,000 and 150,000 people had applied for evacuation in August 2021.
However, in written evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee, Raphael Marshall, who previously worked on the Foreign Office's Afghanistan crisis response, estimated that between 75,000 and 150,000 people had applied for evacuation in August 2021. He estimated that 5% of these received assistance.
He also estimated that 5% of these received assistance.
How do the resettlement schemes work?How do the resettlement schemes work?
As part of an initiative called "Operation Warm Welcome", local councils have been allocated funding packages of £20,520 per person over three years.As part of an initiative called "Operation Warm Welcome", local councils have been allocated funding packages of £20,520 per person over three years.
The funding will help refugees to enrol in education, find work and integrate in their new communities.The funding will help refugees to enrol in education, find work and integrate in their new communities.
The government also announced it would provide an additional £10m in the first year for housing costs, with £5m available in year two and £2m in year three.The government also announced it would provide an additional £10m in the first year for housing costs, with £5m available in year two and £2m in year three.
However, it has been widely reported that up to 12,000 refugees are still being housed in hotels. However, it was widely reported earlier in the year that 12,000 refugees are still being housed in hotels.
In February 2022, the Home Office said that accommodating Afghan refugees in hotels cost £1.2m per day.In February 2022, the Home Office said that accommodating Afghan refugees in hotels cost £1.2m per day.
A Home Office spokesperson insisted the government was working hard with local councils to find permanent homes for the refugees. A Home Office spokesperson said: "Already we are proud this country has provided homes for more than 7,000 Afghan evacuees, but there is a shortage of local housing accommodation for all."
Afghanistan evacuee 'feels stuck' in hotel roomAfghanistan evacuee 'feels stuck' in hotel room
What have critics said about the Afghan resettlement schemes? Afghan refugees in London hotel 'reject accommodation offers'
Gen Sir John McColl - who served as the prime minister's special envoy to Afghanistan between 2005 and 2006 - said it was "appalling" that the UK was failing to meet its commitments.
He believes hundreds of those who are eligible to come to the UK are still in hiding.
Gen Sir John McColl said the government should "feel deeply ashamed" of its record
Immigration lawyer Sarah Pinder argues that official resettlement schemes are often too slow for crises such as the one in Afghanistan.
"The idea that people can queue up to make an application by staying put... in reality, it's difficult to put into practice," she said.
And she said the criteria were often very narrow, leaving people "stuck in a loop" between different schemes.
Shadow international trade secretary Nick Thomas Symonds warned the government schemes "risk leaving people in Afghanistan in deadly danger".
Some Afghans have also struggled to work legally and rent homes in the UK because of delays in updating their official papers.
How can other Afghans come here?How can other Afghans come here?
The main other way to settle in the UK is to seek asylum once within the country's borders.The main other way to settle in the UK is to seek asylum once within the country's borders.
However, proposed changes to the UK immigration system mean that people arriving illegally in the country could be sent to Rwanda for processing.However, proposed changes to the UK immigration system mean that people arriving illegally in the country could be sent to Rwanda for processing.
Home Office statistics show that Afghan asylum seeker applications to the UK grew from 1,417 in September 2020 to 1,974 in September 2021, an increase of 39%. Between January and March 2022, more Afghans arrived in the UK in small boats than any other nationality - a total of 1,094.
Home Office statistics also show that Afghan asylum seeker applications to the UK grew from about 1,300 in the year to the end of March 2021 to more than 4,000 the following year.
How many people did other countries evacuate?How many people did other countries evacuate?
The US evacuated the largest number of people from Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power.The US evacuated the largest number of people from Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power.
Afghans wait to be processed after arriving in the US on an evacuation flightAfghans wait to be processed after arriving in the US on an evacuation flight
From 14 August to 28 August, it got 113,500 people out. From 14 August to 28 August 2021, it got 113,500 people out.
Other countries evacuated much smaller numbers over that period, according to official statements and press releases:Other countries evacuated much smaller numbers over that period, according to official statements and press releases:
Germany - more than 5,300Germany - more than 5,300
Italy - more than 5,000Italy - more than 5,000
Canada - more than 3,700Canada - more than 3,700
France - around 3,000France - around 3,000
Since the end of August, some countries have continued to carry out occasional evacuations. France evacuated 258 people at the end of April 2021. Since the end of August, some countries have continued to carry out occasional evacuations. On December 3, France announced that it had evacuated 258 people from Afghanistan.
There was also an increase in the number of Afghans who applied for asylum last year in some EU countries such as Greece, France and Germany.There was also an increase in the number of Afghans who applied for asylum last year in some EU countries such as Greece, France and Germany.
How many British nationals are left in Afghanistan?How many British nationals are left in Afghanistan?
At the time of the evacuation, then-Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that the number of British nationals still in Afghanistan was "in the low hundreds", although he wouldn't give a more precise figure.At the time of the evacuation, then-Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that the number of British nationals still in Afghanistan was "in the low hundreds", although he wouldn't give a more precise figure.
Mr Raab told a committee of MPs that nearly all the people in Afghanistan with single UK nationality and accompanying documentation had been brought back - but that it was hard to estimate the number of remaining dual-nationals.Mr Raab told a committee of MPs that nearly all the people in Afghanistan with single UK nationality and accompanying documentation had been brought back - but that it was hard to estimate the number of remaining dual-nationals.
He also cited the challenged posed by families where not everyone was documented. He also cited the challenge posed by families where not everyone was documented.
On 7 December 2021, the prime minister's current special representative for Afghanistan, Nigel Casey, told MPs there were about 200 British nationals still in Afghanistan. On 7 December 2021, the prime minister's special representative for Afghanistan, Nigel Casey, told MPs there were about 200 British nationals still in Afghanistan.
No update to this figure has been announced.
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