| answer text |
<p>The first beneficiaries of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme
arrived in March, and by the end of June 50 Syrians had been relocated to the UK.
Groups of Syrians are now being brought to the UK on a regular basis under the scheme.
We will be publishing the number of people arriving under the VPR scheme each quarter
as part of the Home Office’s official migration statistics.</p><p>The VPR scheme is
a bespoke programme designed to help particularly vulnerable refugees displaced by
the Syrian crisis who cannot be supported effectively in the region, particularly
survivors of torture and violence, women and children at risk and those in need of
medical care. We have no plans to extend the scheme to include Iraqi refugees fleeing
religious persecution. However, the Government has already brought a number of Iraqis
into the UK under the Gateway Programme where they have been in a protracted refugee
situation for five years or more, and who amongst other things are escaping religious
persecution.</p><p>Furthermore, the Government will of course continue to consider
asylum claims, including applications from Iraqi nationals suffering religious persecution,
under our normal rules.</p><p> </p>
|
|
