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<p>The scheme was launched in January 2014. It is based on need rather than fulfilling
a quota; however, we expect it to help several hundred people over three years.</p><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. This is
the latest publicly available figure, as numbers are released as part of the publication
of Home Office official statistics each quarter; arrivals up to 30 September 2014
will be published on 27 November. Groups of Syrians continue to be brought to the
UK on a regular basis under the scheme.</p><p>The VPR scheme is a bespoke programme
designed to help particularly vulnerable Syrian 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. The Government believes that
humanitarian aid and actively seeking to end the conflict in Iraq are the most effective
ways for the UK to help the majority of those affected by the crisis. However, the
Government has separately, under the Gateway Programme, resettled a number of Iraqi
refugees who have sought refugee in countries surrounding Iraq.</p><p>The latest publicly
available figures for the VPR scheme and Gateway are available at : <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release</a></p><p>The
number of displaced people resettled under the VPR scheme and Gateway Programme are
in addition to asylum seekers who lodge applications in the UK; the Government continues
of course to consider asylum claims, including applications from Syrian and Iraqi
nationals, under our normal rules.</p><p> </p>
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