Nicola Sturgeon tells Boris Johnson UK Government’s Afghan resettlement numbers ‘not sufficient’

Nicola Sturgeon has told the Prime Minister she is "concerned" that UK Government plans to resettle 20,000 Afghan refugees in the long term and 5,000 in the first year are "not sufficient" in the unfolding crisis.

The First Minister has written a letter to Boris Johnson, in which she says a substantial increase in numbers is required and seeks further information on how civilians - especially women, girls and others in need of refuge - will be protected.

The correspondence refers to an announcement from the UK Government last Wednesday, which provided the details of a resettlement scheme it dubbed "one of the most generous" in the country's history.

Priority will be given to women and girls, as well as religious and other minorities, who are most at risk of human rights abuses by the Taliban.

While Sturgeon welcomed the announcement of the scheme, she ​emphasised to Johnson that an increased commitment is necessary.

She said: “While recognising the pressures on accommodation capacity, we are concerned that the commitment to resettle 20,000 refugees in ‘the long term’ and just 5,000 in the first year is not sufficient in the context of the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding. 

“We believe a commitment to a substantial increase in numbers is required and urgently seek further details of how civilians, especially women, girls and others in need of refuge, will be protected.”

Sturgeon continued: “We want our local authorities to be able to continue to provide strong support for refugees. To do that, we need more detail about the new Afghan Citizens Resettlement Programme, including timescales for arrivals and funding to support local authority participation, as well as wider services which are essential to support people to settle and be able to begin to rebuild their lives. 

“People across our communities, including Afghans with family and friends who are still in Afghanistan, are distressed and concerned about how people will be able to leave and find a place of safety. 

“I am keen to know more about options for humanitarian routes for people in Afghanistan.  In the current situation, many people will find it extremely difficult to directly reach a place of safety. We must work to reduce the risk of people being forced to make perilous journeys or becoming vulnerable to the exploitation of traffickers.”

The First Minister also requested further details on a proposed four nations summit on the situation in Afghanistan, to which the Prime Minister indicated agreement in the House of Commons on 18 August.