Dr Julian Lewis:  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September to Question 46919 on Afghanistan: Refugees, for what reason the Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme has not yet commenced; when that scheme will commence; whether her Department or the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will be responsible for determining the priority given to applicants for that scheme; if the Government will give priority under that scheme to Afghans who followed UK ministerial advice to cross borders to countries adjacent to Afghanistan, even if they were undocumented, and who are consequently at risk of detention and deportation back to Afghanistan; and if she will make an assessment of whether a scholar in Pakistan who is (a) female, (b) politically prominent, (c) a Hazara, (d) validated by the Council for At-Risk Academics, (e) capable of being extracted without difficulty from her current location and (f) in danger of deportation back to Afghanistan would fit the criteria for prioritisation for that scheme as set out in that Answer.   [53822]

[Due for Answer on 18 October] 

ANSWER

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Victoria Atkins): As set out in the answer to Question 46919 on 16 September, the Government has issued a policy statement which gives further information on the eligibility, prioritisation and referral of people for the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS). Eligible people will be prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK as set out in the policy statement. The ACRS is being developed at pace and further details will be released in due course.