Ukraine Statement The following Statement was made in the House of
Commons on Tuesday 1 March. “With permission, Mr Speaker, I will
make a Statement updating the House on the Government’s
humanitarian response to the terrible, unjust war that Putin is
waging in Ukraine. We are united across the House in horror at what
is happening, and the whole country stands with the heroic people
of Ukraine. I have come straight from a meeting with our dear
friend and...Request free trial
Ukraine
Statement
The following Statement was made in the House of Commons on
Tuesday 1 March.
“With permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a Statement updating
the House on the Government’s humanitarian response to the
terrible, unjust war that Putin is waging in Ukraine. We are
united across the House in horror at what is happening, and the
whole country stands with the heroic people of Ukraine. I have
come straight from a meeting with our dear friend and colleague
the Ukrainian ambassador to London, and I have just heard at
first hand about some of the pressures and tensions inside the
country.
Putin must fail in his assault on Ukraine. Working closely with
the Ukrainian Government and allies in the neighbouring region,
the United Kingdom is standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine,
sending military support and defensive military aid and training
thousands of Ukrainian troops, as well as introducing one of the
toughest sanctions regimes in the world. We are supporting NATO
partners, pressing for more economic reform and energy
independence in Ukraine, banning Aeroflot, and calling for an end
to Russian involvement in the SWIFT banking system.
We will continue to think robustly and creatively about what more
we can all do. As I said in the House yesterday, the Government
will table amendments to the visa penalty measures in the
Nationality and Borders Bill, so that we can slow down and
effectively stop the processing of Russian visas or those of any
state that poses a threat to our national security or the
interests of our allies across the world. The Government of
Ukraine have requested that the Russian Government be suspended
from Interpol. The UK wholeheartedly endorses that position, and
we are rallying other international partners to call for and
support it as well.
Yesterday I announced the first phase of a bespoke humanitarian
support package for the people of Ukraine, having listened
carefully to the requests from the Ukrainian Government. We have
already made significant and unprecedented changes to the
immigration system. We have helped hundreds of British nationals
and their family members resident in Ukraine leave the country,
with Home Office staff working around the clock to assist them.
The right honourable Member for Normanton, Pontefract and
Castleford, , raised a specific case
yesterday, and I am pleased to confirm that the person concerned
has been able to travel to the UK.
Family members of British nationals resident in Ukraine who need
a UK visa can apply through the temporary location in Lviv, or
through visa application centres in Poland, Moldova, Romania and
Hungary. We have created additional capacity in all locations
apace, in anticipation of the invasion of Ukraine. That includes
a new pop-up visa application centre in Rzeszow, Poland, whose
total capacity is currently well over 3,000 appointments per
week. Our contingency plans have been enacted and are expected to
increase total capacity further to 6,000 appointments a week,
starting this week. By contrast, demand across these locations is
usually approximately 890 biometric appointments per week. There
remains availability of appointments and walk-ins across all
locations. Should more capacity be required, we will of course
deliver it. Our rapid deployment teams are already in the region;
the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office sent them in a
few weeks ago to support this whole effort.
I have also removed the usual language requirements and salary
thresholds for people to come to the UK and be with their
families. Where family members of British nationals do not meet
the usual eligibility criteria but do pass all security checks,
we will give them permission to enter the UK outside the usual
rules for 12 months. This means that British nationals, and any
person settled in the UK, can bring over immediate Ukrainian
family members. Through that policy alone, an additional 100,000
Ukrainians could be eligible to come to the UK and gain access to
work and public services. There is no limit on the numbers
eligible under this route. Anyone in Ukraine intending to apply
under the family migration route should call the dedicated
24-hour Home Office line for assistance before applying.
Ukrainian nationals already in the UK have been given the option
to switch, free of charge, to a points-based immigration route or
a family visa route. Visas for Ukrainian temporary workers in
some sectors are being extended, so they can now stay until at
least 31 December this year.
As I said yesterday, I have heard some Members call for visa
waivers. Russian troops are seeking to infiltrate and merge with
Ukrainian forces. Extremists are on the ground in the region,
too. However, I want to emphasise the seriousness of the security
situation on the ground. That is not something that can be
discounted lightly. I am sure that if the Opposition want a
security briefing from our colleagues, we will happily provide
one, but I am very sceptical about how they treat and respect
security advice.
As I was saying, extremists are on the ground in the region, too.
Given that, and also Putin’s willingness to do violence on
British soil—and in keeping with our approach, which we have
retained consistently throughout all emergency evacuations,
including that of Afghanistan —we cannot suspend any security or
biometric checks on the people whom we welcome to our country. We
have a collective duty to keep the British people safe, and this
approach is based on the strongest security advice. These
measures have been designed to enable swift implementation—that
is the point: swift implementation —without the need for
legislation or changes to the Immigration Rules. The Ukrainian
people need help immediately, and we are putting it in place
now.
I can also set out phase 2 of our bespoke humanitarian support
package for the people of Ukraine, as outlined by the Prime
Minister earlier today. First, we are establishing an expansive
Ukrainian family reunion scheme so that British nationals and
people settled in the UK can bring a wider group of family
members to the UK. We are extending eligibility to parents,
grandparents, adult offspring, siblings, and their immediate
family members. Again, the scheme will be free. Those joining
family members in the UK will be granted leave for an initial
period of 12 months. They will be able to work and have access to
public funds.
Secondly, we will establish a humanitarian sponsorship pathway,
which will open up a route to the UK for Ukrainians who may not
have family ties with the UK, but who are able to match with
individuals, charities, businesses and community groups. Those
who come under this scheme will also be granted leave for an
initial period of 12 months, and will be able to work and have
access to public services. The Home Office will work closely with
all our international partners on the ground to ensure that
displaced Ukrainians in need of a home are supported. My
colleague the Secretary of State for Levelling Up will work with
the devolved Administrations to ensure that those who want to
sponsor an individual or family can volunteer and be matched
quickly with Ukrainians in need. There will be no numerical
limits on this scheme, and we will welcome as many Ukrainians as
wish to come and have match sponsors.
Making a success of the new humanitarian sponsorship pathway will
require a national effort from the entire country, and our
country will rise to that challenge. This is a generous,
expansive and unprecedented package. It will mean that the
British public and the Ukrainian diaspora can support displaced
Ukrainians in the UK until they are able to return to a free and
sovereign Ukraine. We are striking a blow for democracy and
freedom against tyranny. Above all, we are doing right by the
courageous people of Ukraine. We will help British nationals and
their families get out of Ukraine safely. We will support our
displaced Ukrainian friends, and we will respond robustly to
Russian threats here in the UK. We will not back down. We will do
what is right. I commend this Statement to the House.”
9.01pm
(Lab)
My Lords, the Minister got a rough ride on Monday when he
answered a PNQ on visa restrictions for Ukrainian refugees. The
whole House was frustrated by the Government’s response. Since
then—yesterday—we have had the Home Secretary’s Statement in the
other place, and there was moving applause for the Ukrainian
ambassador at Prime Minister’s Questions today.
Today, the Ukrainian people face horrors of a potential scale
that we have not seen in Europe since the Second World War. The
whole of Parliament wants the Government to ensure that we play
our historic role as a welcoming country for refugees and play
our part in providing support for the Ukrainian people in their
hour of need. I want to repeat many of the questions that my
right honourable friend asked yesterday to better
understand the answers. In saying that, I freely acknowledge that
this is a rapidly evolving situation.
First, in the past few days, there has been some confusion over
which family members can join UK nationals and those settled in
the UK. We welcome that the Government have listened and extended
the types of family members who are able to join loved ones
safely in the UK. I have read estimates of between 100,000 and
200,000 family members. Can the Minister comment on that? Can he
also confirm that, whatever the number is, it is not capped?
Secondly, many people, mainly women and children, are fleeing
today’s terror. They will want to stay close to home, in
neighbouring states—a point repeatedly made by the Minister on
Monday. What will be done to support these front-line states? We
may not be in the EU any more but we are in the Council of
Europe, and these countries are our friends, with the same values
as us. We should do everything we can to support refugees in
front-line states.
Thirdly, the Government have said that the family reunion scheme
will be free, but there are reports that some people are being
charged to access visas to join family here. Can the Minister
guarantee that people can now access the family reunion scheme
for free? Further, does the sponsoring family member have to be a
British national or have indefinite leave to remain? What about
Ukrainians who are here on work or study visas, or those who come
here as lorry drivers or on visitor visas?
Fourthly, have the Government considered an emergency
humanitarian or protection visa that could still include all the
significant security and biometric checks the Home Secretary has
talked about but could be done swiftly and go broader than family
members?
Fifthly, the humanitarian sponsorship pathway announced in the
Statement is a community sponsorship scheme. We welcome this, but
the existing community sponsorship scheme takes a long time. What
will the Secretary of State do to ensure that the scheme can work
quickly? How many people do the Government hope to help in this
way, and when can we expect the first Ukrainian refugees to
arrive under this scheme? The Government’s Statement does not
include a resettlement scheme. What plans are there to go further
and provide a resettlement scheme in addition to the community
sponsorship?
I understand that this is a fast-moving and desperate situation.
I ask that the House gets regular updates; I am sure that it
will. As I said in opening, the Minister got a hard time on
Monday. I hope that in this short debate we can focus on the
practical things the Government are going to do to ameliorate the
situation of our friends and comrades in Ukraine in their hour of
need.
(LD)
My Lords, we all condemn Russia for its unjustified aggression in
Ukraine and stand with the Ukrainians in their heroic defence of
their homeland, but not everyone can stay and fight. There will
be many vulnerable Ukrainians who need at least short- to
medium-term sanctuary—in particular, women, children and older
people need to be removed to safety.
My understanding is that this Statement is now out of date,
following the intervention of the Prime Minister overnight. The
Statement talks about a new route, but can the Minister confirm
whether all these people will still need a visa to come to the
United Kingdom? Can he also confirm that under the provisions of
the Nationality and Borders Bill—were it to be in force—they
would all be committing a criminal offence with a maximum
sentence of 10 years imprisonment if they came to the UK without
a visa, and that because there is no direct route from Ukraine to
the UK, they would be treated as second-class refugees? Does not
the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis highlight exactly why many
noble Lords oppose the provisions of the Nationality and Borders
Bill?
Can the Minister also confirm that the elderly parents of a
Ukrainian national settled in the UK can now be brought to the
UK, but only after the Prime Minister overruled the Home
Secretary, who wanted to restrict the new arrangements to close
family members only? In the Statement, the Home Secretary talked
about 100,000 Ukrainians eligible under government schemes. Since
then, the Prime Minister has said that the number is 200,000.
What is the number now?
The Home Secretary gave the excuse for not allowing visa-free
entry that security and biometrics were a fundamental part of our
visa approval process. She went on to say that Russian troops are
infiltrating Ukraine and merging into Ukrainian forces and that
intelligence reports state the presence of extremist groups and
organisations that threaten the region but also the UK. Can the
Minister confirm that the Russian army includes octogenarians and
child soldiers?
We are talking about women, children and the elderly—the
vulnerable who need the safety and security we, and their
families here in the UK, can provide. What is the security risk
that women, children and the elderly could potentially be Russian
soldiers or members of extremist groups that threaten the UK? As
the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy of The Shaws, said earlier this
evening, why can people’s security status not be established on
arrival in the UK?
The Statement says that the Government are extending the visas
for Ukrainian temporary workers “in some sectors” who can now
stay until at least December 2022, primarily because people
cannot return to Ukraine. In what sectors are Ukrainian temporary
workers employed in the UK where they can safely return to
Ukraine?
The Statement says that Britain continues to lead—how can that be
true when Poland and other EU countries are allowing visa-free
entry and the UK is not?
In the Commons on Monday, the Home Secretary tried to link
measures, such as the temporary ban on the issuing of visas to
nationals of a country that threatens international peace and
security, to the Nationality and Borders Bill. She said:
“Those powers will be available as soon as the Bill receives
Royal Assent. The sooner that happens, the sooner this House and
all Members can collectively act.”.—[Official Report, 28/2/2022;
col. 701.]
Are the Government really saying that they cannot stop issuing
visas to Russian nationals in a time of crisis such as we are
facing now without new primary legislation? I thought Brexit was
about taking back control of our borders. Is the Minister
seriously suggesting that they cannot, today, stop issuing visas
to the citizens of a hostile foreign state? I look forward to the
Minister’s response.
(Con)
My Lords, I thank the noble Lords, Lord Ponsonby and , for their questions. I also
thank the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, for reminding me of Monday.
It was a little bit difficult, but as I am sure he is aware, I
did not actually have the full information—or indeed any
information. However, I will endeavour to do a little bit better
now. However uncomfortable it was for me, we should certainly
remember that it was a good deal more uncomfortable for those
people in Ukraine fighting for their sovereignty, so that is
worth bearing in mind at all times.
If I may, I would like to start by craving Noble Lords’
indulgence and making a couple of general points to address
questions which I have not been asked but which are important and
germane and came out of the House of Commons debate yesterday. I
echo the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, about the
response given to the Ukrainian ambassador as he arrived in the
other place today. It was genuinely moving, and I think it is a
sign that the Commons, and, indeed, your Lordships’ House, is
united in support of the people of Ukraine and all those who are
working tirelessly for it. I also echo the comments of my noble
friend Lord Ahmad when he spoke about Ukraine the other day and
thanked the Opposition Benches for their help and support through
this process.
The question I would like to answer which I have not been asked,
but which came up a lot in conversation in the other place, is
what Members might like to be able to do if they get petitioned
with individual cases, because I cannot talk about them for
obvious reasons. Just to give an idea of some of the help that is
available, individuals can refer to GOV.UK or contact our free
helpline. I am going to give the number very carefully so that
Members can refer to it in Hansard. The number is: 0808 1648810.
Noble Lords can ask for advice on those cases. It is a free
helpline and it works around the world. If, for any reason, noble
Lords cannot get what they need from that helpline—and that
should not be the case—we suggest referring via a constituency MP
in the usual way. If, for any reason, that does not work, there
is a Portcullis House referral system. Just in case any noble
Lords have any individual cases that may need addressing, I
thought it was worth pointing that out.
In order to answer the various questions that I have been asked,
I am going to run through the scheme as announced. Before I do, I
want to point out that this is a unique scheme that has not been
done by this country before. We have established the Ukrainian
family scheme, which will significantly expand the ability of
British nationals and people settled in the UK to bring family
members to the UK. As my noble friend Lady Williams has just
said, that extends the eligibility to adult parents,
grandparents, children over 18, siblings and all of their
immediate family members. Under this scheme—which will be
free—those joining family in the UK will be granted leave for an
initial period of 12 months. They will be able to work and to
access public funds. Given the range of family members who will
be able to come through this route, we estimate—the numbers are
inexact for obvious reasons, but this is the best estimate I
have—that it might help around 140,000 people to come to the UK.
I stress, however, that this is not a capped number, so, in a
sense, it does not matter what number I give here, because it is
not capped.
We will make emergency changes to Immigration Rules on 15 March
to create this route, but we are introducing a concession to the
existing rules to enable families to apply via a bespoke
application process no later than Friday 4 March—this coming
Friday. If people call the helpline before that, someone will get
back in touch with them. We will also consider anyone who applied
on the existing family route, or existing concessions, under the
new scheme if they do not meet the rules. The noble Lord, Lord
Ponsonby, asked me about fees: any fees that have already been
paid will be refunded. There are no other barriers: all the usual
requirements around language and salary, for example, have been
removed.
That will mean that although we would encourage Ukrainians not to
apply before Friday, we do have mechanisms for those in urgent
need to apply now. Eligible family members who have already made
applications under the existing family rules will be considered
under the Ukrainian family scheme if they do not meet the family
rules. As I have said, they will also have their application fee
and any applicable immigration health surcharge payments
refunded.
Secondly, we have committed to establishing a Ukrainian
sponsorship humanitarian visa offer, which will open up a route
to the UK for Ukrainians who do not have family ties with the UK,
but who we will match with individuals, businesses, community
organisations and local authorities who are willing and able to
act as a sponsor. All those benefiting from this offer will also
be granted leave for an initial period of 12 months and will be
able to work and access public services.
The Home Office will be working closely with the UNHCR and others
on the ground to ensure that displaced Ukrainians in need of a
home who wish to come to the UK are aware of this offer and are
able to apply. DLUHC will be leading on this offer. It will work
with the devolved Administrations to ensure that individuals and
organisations who want to sponsor an individual or family can
volunteer to do so, and they will be matched with Ukrainians in
need. Again, there is no arbitrary limit on this scheme: we will
welcome as many Ukrainians as wish to come and for whom we have
sponsors. I anticipate that DLUHC will be working with local
authorities and charities, but the department would welcome
thoughts and suggestions on that particular route. The noble
Lord, Lord Ponsonby, asked me if only family members can sponsor.
British nationals or settled persons can sponsor, not those with
temporary leave; but, as I said, we would encourage people to
apply anyway.
Turning to the subject of visa waivers, in essence, the noble
Lord, , asked me why we will not go
further and announce a visa waiver. Visas are an important
security tool and are entirely consistent with all our other
Immigration Rules. There is a risk that hostile actors or other
individuals with links to serious and organised crime or
corruption could exploit the arrangements to travel to the UK
undetected if security checks are not in place. The Government do
not believe that they should unnecessarily put the UK’s security
at risk.
I understand what the noble Lord was saying about women, children
and octogenarians in the Russian army, but I do not wish to go
further and speculate as to what sorts of things the Russians
might get up to. We have seen what they are capable of doing in
peacetime. It is not peacetime any more, and I would not like to
speculate what they might be capable of doing now.
The noble Lord, , also asked me about visa
penalties. The Nationality and Borders Bill contains provisions
which allow the UK to apply visa penalties to a country which is
being unco-operative in relation to the return of its nationals.
Those powers include slowing down the processing of applications,
requiring applicants to pay more or, critically, suspending the
granting of entry clearance completely. I am told that an
amendment will be tabled tomorrow, along with a letter outlining
and explaining exactly what is going on with this feature. It
would probably be better to wait until tomorrow and see the
letter; I have not seen it, so I do not know what is in it.
There were also questions about the variety of existing visas and
what is available to Ukrainian nationals already here on existing
points-based system routes. They can extend their leave in the
UK. Ukrainian nationals on an existing visitor visa can,
exceptionally, switch into a points-based system immigration
route without having to leave the UK. Ukrainian nationals on an
existing visa can apply under the family route for further leave
without meeting the immigration status requirement, provided they
meet the requirements for leave based on exceptional
circumstances. Ukrainian nationals on an existing seasonal worker
visa will have their leave in the UK extended to 31 December
2022.
Finally, Ukrainian nationals in temporary work, such as HGV
drivers and so on, will have their leave in the UK extended to 31
December 2022 as well. I think the point the noble Lord made was
about temporary visas generally; I think that is covered by that
particular point. However, all visa routes remain under constant
review. As the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, said, this situation is
incredibly fluid, so I expect there to be further changes as and
when circumstances dictate.
The noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, referenced Yvette Cooper’s
comments yesterday in the House of Commons when she talked about
which family members and how many. I think I have answered that.
I want to stress that it is not capped. However, she also made
the point—and made it very well—that a lot of people do not wish
to be too far away from their loved ones, who are probably
fighting in Ukraine as we speak.
That leads on to the humanitarian support we are offering. It is
quite considerable. The FCDO has a humanitarian support team in
place. We are providing an additional £40 million of humanitarian
support, which I think my noble friend Lady Williams referred to
earlier. That will provide access to basic necessities and vital
medical supplies both in Ukraine and the wider region. That is on
top of the $100 million of ODA already pledged for energy
security and reform.
I mentioned the humanitarian team from FCDO, but military
logistics experts are also operating in the countries
neighbouring Ukraine. Obviously, we call on Russia to enable
humanitarian access and safe passage for civilians to flee the
violence, and we have 1,000 troops on standby to support the
humanitarian response in the region should they be needed. We
also stand ready to further support Ukraine’s economy through
£500 million in multilateral development bank guarantees.
I think I have dealt with most of the questions I have been
asked. If I have not, I apologise and will hope to come back to
them when I have had a chance to skim through my notes in a
little more detail. For now, I hope that answers most of noble
Lords’ questions.
9.22pm
(CB)
My Lords, I personally very much welcome the work the Government
have done in putting together a really strong sanctions package
and persuading other countries to come in the direction we wish
to go. But I asked two questions in the debate on Friday that
were not replied to. I would be grateful if either I could be
given a reply now or the noble Lord could provide it in
writing.
My first question was: what are we doing to muster a broad
international scheme to ensure that exports to—not from—Russia,
particularly of dual-use items, are prevented? During the Cold
War there was a scheme called CoCom, which the vast majority of
the West subscribed to. Are the Government considering
resuscitating that? Secondly, what are the Government doing about
countering the tidal waves of disinformation that are coming out?
That means not just telling RT that it cannot broadcast but being
able to get facts across to the Russian people ourselves while
undermining the regime’s extremely misleading presentations and
narrative.
(Con)
I thank the noble Lord for that question. I cannot answer the
question of whether we are planning a new version of CoCom, which
I am not familiar with, but we have seen plenty of information
delivered at the Dispatch Box in both Houses as to the sanctions
applied to Russia, which I am very sure include dual-use
items.
On the question of broadcast misinformation, disinformation and
so on, the point was made in a meeting I was in earlier that the
BBC World Service is one of the finest tools for delivering
honest news. I know that message was received and it will be
acted on.
(Con)
My Lords, alongside the Ukrainian people, people who are not of
Ukrainian descent will also be stranded. Could my noble friend
tell me what is being done to help those people, so that they are
not left in danger and isolated?
(Con)
I can give two answers. First, if they qualify under the British
citizen or the settled status visa programme, they are more than
entitled to use that scheme in order to apply for their visas. If
they are currently stranded in or near Ukraine, they can go to
one of the visa application centres. Obviously, we have also
announced the humanitarian visa, which I think will encompass
them. As I say, and will keep saying, that scheme is
uncapped.
(LD)
My Lords, can the Minister assure us that the helpline advisers
will be fully trained? A journalist on the Independent had a
tweet a few hours ago saying they are getting lots of calls but
they have no information to give out. As I understand it, he said
that was true, in a sense—they will have the information by
Friday and they will call people back. Perhaps some planning
could have taken place for this situation, which we have known
was going to happen for weeks, if not months.
What is the situation of EEA citizens who have settled status?
Can they sponsor Ukrainian family members in the same way that UK
citizens and Ukrainian nationals can?
Lastly, I really do not see the need for these new amendments to
the Nationality and Borders Bill. I do not understand why the
Government cannot just refuse visas without some complicated new
scheme under the Bill. Finally, I congratulate Eurostar on giving
free tickets to London for Ukrainian refugees.
(Con)
On the first question, part of the problem with the helpline is
that one of the things it is having to deliver is access to a new
application form that had to be developed in four days. That is
not quite ready. The noble Baroness shrugs her shoulders on that
point, but I think it is important to bear in mind that we are
doing everything we are doing in liaison with the people of
Ukraine and the Ukrainian Government. My noble friend Lady
Williams just made this point.
The Home Secretary is regularly in contact with the Ukrainian
authorities and the ambassador, and we are very much following
their lines. I refer noble Lords, if they are interested, to an
article in the Times this morning, talking about the diplomatic
difficulties in making excessive plans early. I accept the point
that this is a fluid situation and that it needs to be done, but
it is important to bear in mind that this is happening at record
speed. I am told that forms of this sort that have to be
developed digitally normally take months, not days. This is being
done very quickly.
I answered that question at such length that I have completely
forgotten your second question—and I just said “your”, so I
apologise for that as well. It was to do with EEA citizens. I
cannot answer that specifically, but I cannot imagine, given what
I have said about Ukrainians with settled status and about
British citizens, that that would not be the case. As I have said
already, this is meant to be a generous scheme, not a
bureaucratic scheme.
On the last point, I have referred to the letter that is coming
with the amendment today. I hope I am not piling too much
pressure on the letter, but I have not seen it and I am not going
to pre-empt what is in it.
(Lab)
My Lords, we are very grateful for the Minister’s Statement. He
was not able to answer all the questions from my noble friend on
the Front Bench. He was asked about the assistance we are giving
to countries that border Ukraine, particularly Poland, which is
taking the brunt of refugees. What can we do to build capacity on
the ground to support those refugees? Speed is obviously of the
essence. I know the Statement says we have one pop-up assessment
centre: clearly, that is not going to be enough, even for the
numbers we are thinking of taking. Everything is being done for
the first time—we appreciate that—but what else can we do to
support the Poles to develop their own humanitarian response and
also to make sure we are doing everything we can as early as we
can for those desperate people?
(Con)
I thank the noble Baroness for that question. I think I have
answered about some of the humanitarian actions that the
Government have already taken and enacted very swiftly.
Obviously, as the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, said, the situation
is incredibly fluid, and I have no doubt that the Government will
react to circumstances on the ground as and when required, at the
request of the countries involved. I think I am right in
saying—if I am not, I will correct myself later—that very
recently, some Royal Marines were redeployed to that part of the
world. It is happening, and happening fast.
The visa application centres, to which I think the noble Baroness
was referring, are in the following locations. We have them in
Poland, in Warsaw. There is the new one in Rzeszów, which I think
I referenced on Monday—possibly the only thing I referenced on
Monday. We have ones in Moldova, Romania and Hungary. and one is
still open in Ukraine, in Lviv. We had to close the one in Kyiv,
for obvious reasons. Demand across them is actually not as high
as we would have expected at the moment, but we are none the less
increasing capacity. More biometric kits are being redeployed and
capacity is increasing on an ongoing basis.
(Con)
My Lords, so much is falling on the Poles and the Hungarians,
particularly on Poland, as the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, said. I
make a suggestion for my noble friend to pass on to his
ministerial colleagues: I do not expect an affirmative answer,
but I do not want a dismissal. In the past, it has been found
that it can sometimes be extremely helpful, in time of war, to
have a resident Minister from this country stationed abroad. I
put it to my noble friend that it would be symbolic, helpful and
probably much appreciated by our former fellow members of the EU
if we gave some thought to that now.
(Con)
I thank my noble friend for that suggestion, which I will take
back; it strikes me as a very good one. Perhaps I may also
clarify something I just said: in answer to the noble Baroness,
Lady Ludford, EEA settled citizens can.
(LD)
I imagine that the Minister, like me, has been in awe of the
demonstrations of physical courage by so many of the citizens of
Ukraine. I hope I can persuade him to accept that there have been
some illustrations of political courage. I have particularly in
mind the policy reverses of Germany: to supply defensive weapons
to Ukraine, to increase defence expenditure by €100 billion and
to suspend Nord Stream 2. Mr Putin can hardly be thought to have
expected any of that.
(Con)
I thank the noble Lord for that. I am not sure it was a question,
but of course I agree with him: it was a courageous act on the
part of the Germans, and well done them.
My Lords, I very much appreciate what the Government are doing
and the Statement that was given. One of the elements that is
lacking from it, however, is any reference to religion. One
cannot understand the politics of Russia or Ukraine without
understanding the history of the past 1,200 years, what is
intended to be part of the reunification of the original Rus—I
speak as a Russian linguist and former Soviet specialist at GCHQ.
If we do not understand the role of religion, we are in danger of
short-term, reactive, tactical activities in relation to the
current conflict, whereas the Russians, certainly, have been
running a long-term strategy under Putin, in which he has been
extremely successful thus far. What role is religion playing in
the Government’s assessment of how to care for refugees, which we
have talked about, and in establishing back channels with the
Moscow patriarchate and the Ukrainian patriarchate?
(Con)
I thank the right reverend Prelate for that. He will not be
particularly surprised to learn that I do not know the details on
that subject. I will facilitate contact with the Foreign Office
so that he can explain, using the depth of his expertise. I also
point out that the setting up of the humanitarian visa scheme is
being done by DLUHC, in consultation with a number of NGOs and
other bodies. I strongly recommend that the right reverend
Prelate gets in touch with DLUHC to pass on some of those
suggestions, which strike me as incredibly sensible.
(Con)
The right reverend Prelate has brought this subject up. There are
about 15,000 to 20,000 troops stopped 30 miles away from Kyiv.
They are conscripts and, as the right reverend Prelate has said,
they have been highly religious and devoted to their beliefs for
hundreds of years, except for the time when Stalin was in power.
They are back and very devout.
I have concerns for these conscripts. As noble Lords know, Kyiv
is the most sacred icon for Russia and for many others outside of
Russia. That was the place where, nearly 1,900 years ago, the
very first Orthodox church was built in Ukraine. That was the
beginning, if you will, of the people being converted to
Christianity. That is something so special in their mind. You
could go all over the world and people talk about it. Today, when
you go there, the cathedral is right on top of it. If these young
men are asked to destroy it completely with artillery, I think
that many of them will refuse or desert. In the history of war,
if you desert, you got shot. If you were—
(Non-Afl)
Too long.
(Con)
I will ask my noble friend, a military historian with huge
knowledge on the subject, whether this aspect has been
considered. Can we understand that thinking?
(Con)
I thank my noble friend for his question, and indeed for the
history lesson. I was not aware of some of the things that he has
said, although I take note of them and think that they are very
interesting. Lots of other historical moments are happening. The
other day, we saw the missile strike on the Holocaust site, which
was equally deplorable. Russians were cheerfully pulling the
trigger on that, so I do not know where they will stop. I will
take back the points he made.
(CB)
My Lords, I have listened carefully to provisions in relation to
Ukrainians. They are appropriate. Being denied the right to live
should be a wake-up call to the Government to be generous to the
maximum. The Afghan citizens resettlement scheme took three
months to establish as a working system. What measures are being
taken to ensure that those moving through Europe have all the
information about the new Ukrainian family scheme, including
timeframes, eligibility for close family members and processing
requirements for applications? Once the policy detail has been
established, can the Government confirm how many Ukrainian
applications can be processed in the immediate weeks of March, so
that we do not leave hungry Ukrainian families out in the
cold?
(Con)
I thank the noble Viscount for his question. I hope he would
agree that the Government have been very generous. The full
communications will be available on the GOV.UK website. As we are
not expecting people who are potentially living in difficult
situations to be able to look this up on the internet,
communications will be handed out at the visa application
centres. Access to all this information will also be available
via the helpline which I have already tried to describe.
I turn now to what will happen once the policy details are all in
place. The visa application centres are currently processing
under capacity, but capacity is being ramped up. Therefore, I am
not in a position to say how many people might be processed in
due course, because I suspect that the number will keep rising
depending on circumstances.
(Non-Afl)
My Lords, I welcome the tougher stance which the Government are
taking on sanctions since last week. However, would it not make
things swifter and more straightforward to make it a legal
requirement for law firms, accountants, financial services firms,
businesses and others to provide information they have on the
finances, assets and business activities of people or companies
which are sanctioned?
(Con)
I thank the noble Lord for his question. As I am sure all noble
Lords have seen, a letter was received yesterday from the Home
Office and from the Business Secretary talking about the
forthcoming Bill which will go through the House of Commons next
week and will be in your Lordships’ House in a couple of weeks.
The noble Lord makes some very sensible suggestions. I do not
know what the legal niceties would be, but I will certainly take
those suggestions back.
of Newnham (LD)
My Lords, I will ask the Minister to try again with the question
asked by his noble friend Lady Verma which was about people who
are leaving Ukraine but are not Ukrainian nationals. In
particular, the BBC was showing pictures of Afghan refugees who
had been in Ukraine. As I understand it, they would not fall
under the humanitarian sponsorship pathway because the statement
says that this pathway is for Ukrainians. For those people who do
not have Ukrainian citizenship but are fleeing, will the
Government make any offer to them—and, particularly, to anyone
who is from Afghanistan?
(Con)
Afghans obviously have access to the Afghan resettlement scheme
but—I reiterate the point—we have started work on the
humanitarian visa scheme. There are lots of safe and legal routes
open to Afghans who may find themselves in Ukraine.
(DUP)
My Lords, no one should deny that the United Kingdom Government
have been leading many Governments across the world in response
to the crisis in Ukraine with a strong package of sanctions, et
cetera. However, as the situation develops, further measures will
be necessary. Can the Minister clarify how long those choosing to
come to the United Kingdom can stay under these regulations, and
will that period be extended?
(Con)
At the moment it is at least 12 months but we will not be sending
anybody back, obviously, if that time expires and it would be
unsafe to do so. I imagine that will be under review.
(Con)
My Lords, does the Minister agree that sporting sanctions are a
vital ingredient in the overall package? Bearing this in mind,
does he share my concern and dismay about the decision of the
Paralympic committee to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to
compete next week, albeit as individuals and not flying their
flag?
(Con)
I did not know it had done that. The actions of the sporting
authorities around the world have been admirable thus far. I do
not think it would be appropriate for me to comment on particular
instances where that has not been the case.
(CB)
My Lords, will the Minister draw to the attention of his noble
friends in the Foreign Office the report this morning from the
World Food Programme suggesting that 29% of all the grain and
wheat sold to countries in the Maghreb and Middle East—the
poorest of the poor—comes from either Russia or Ukraine, and that
this is likely to be severely disrupted? There is also its figure
that 400,000 people have already left and that it is now making
preparations for some 3 million refugees in neighbouring
countries. What more can we do to support the World Food
Programme and the International Committee of the Red Cross?
(Con)
That question obviously goes back to something that my noble
friend was discussing earlier on food
security. Clearly, it is an issue not just for any particular
part of the world but for us all. I have tried to go through some
of the details on the humanitarian responses but there is another
thing I should have mentioned earlier—I picked it up when I was
googling before I came in here. I noticed that this morning, or
during PMQs, the Prime Minister also announced that every pound
donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Ukraine appeal by
the public will be matched by the Government, starting with £20
million. I also reference the fact that we have given an
additional £40 million of humanitarian support. I appreciate that
that does not fully answer the noble Lord’s question but it is a
go at it.
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