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\u2019s official migration statistics.<\/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>
Furthermore, the Government will of course continue to consider asylum claims, including applications from Iraqi nationals suffering religious persecution, under our normal rules.<\/p>
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