John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2014-03-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long the UK plans to host Syrian refugees who come as part of the resettlement deal; and whether such refugees will be issued with a visa for a specified time period.

James Brokenshire

The first beneficiaries of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR)
scheme arrived in the UK on 25 March. This is the result of excellent
co-operation with UNHCR, the International Organisation for Migration and local
authority services, which has allowed us to identify vulnerable individuals in
need of evacuation and ensure that the support they need is in place in the
UK. These support packages are tailored on a case by case basis to ensure that
specific requirements for those relocated under the scheme are met and include
health, education and integration support.

Those admitted under the VPR scheme will be granted five years’ Humanitarian
Protection, with all the rights and benefits that go with that status. This
includes access to public funds, access to the labour market and the
possibility of family reunion. If the situation in Syria stabilises, they may
choose to return home. However, at the end of the five years, if they have not
been able to return to Syria, they may be eligible to apply for settlement in
the UK.