My heart goes out to everybody affected by this horrendous war. It is horrible to see the crimes being committed and what the Ukrainian people are having to go through.
The British government’s initial focus was on trying to help Ukraine fight Putin’s invasion and survive as a country. That was and tragically remains, the immediate priority. The UK has been thanked publicly for its efforts by the Ukrainian government, and it has been heartening to see so many Ukrainian people also demonstrating their thanks for British support.
Now though, having led the way with our political and military support, the UK must help address the humanitarian situation. I want us to step up to the plate here, and I know many of my constituents share this view too. I have been making representations directly to Ministers over the past week as have other MPs.
The government has now put together a bespoke humanitarian support package for the people of Ukraine and has listened carefully to the requests of the Ukrainian government when doing so.
Phase One of the programme, announced previously, means that British nationals and any person settled in the UK can bring over immediate Ukrainian family members. An estimated 100,000 Ukrainians are eligible to come to safety in the UK and access our public services through this route, though there is no formal limit on the number of people eligible for this route.
Phase Two has set up a Ukrainian Family Scheme, enabling British Nationals and anybody else settled in the UK to bring a wider group of family members to the UK, including: parents, grandparents, adult offspring, siblings, and other immediate family members. This scheme will be free. All these people will also be able to work and access public support and funds.
The usual language requirements and salary thresholds to come to the UK have been scrapped. Any Ukrainian national already in the UK has been given the option – free of charge – to switch to a points-based immigration route or a family visa route and settle here indefinitely. Visas for temporary Ukrainian works are being extended to at least the 31st December, but we will extend this if needed.
We will also 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. This will also try and match refugees with families kind enough to volunteer to house one. I know many constituents have asked about this, and more details will be released shortly. Do keep an eye on the gov.uk website, and please feel free to contact me in a few days for an update.
There will be no numerical limit on these schemes, and we will welcome as many Ukrainians as wish to come. The Prime Minister has said estimated that about 200,000 will use these combined routes. However, it is difficult to say exactly how many people will come as these schemes are uncapped and circumstances on the ground could change.
We will work closely with our international partners to make sure we are helping people on the ground that have been displaced to other countries around Ukraine.
Visa centres have been opened across Europe, including in areas where refugees are concentrated, and the Home Secretary has now confirmed that people will also be able to apply online.
Around 1,000 visas had been granted by Wednesday 9th March and it is expect the pace of visas will increase rapidly as the system is ramped up.
I am pleased the government has expanded our refugee programme – it is a decision I back 100%. I am also glad the Home Secretary has taken steps to make the process easier. It is something I have been making the case for in recent days.
Many have drawn comparisons with the EU scheme. The EU still require a visa, but the difference is that asylum seekers have 3 months in which to apply for one. This is in line with EU Schengen-zone policies which the UK has never been a part of even whilst in the EU.
I know some are also concerned about security checks being undertaken on refugees. These are unfortunately necessary because the Russian state has a history of exploiting situations like this to conduct undercover operations, including in Ukraine, where Russian troops have put on Ukrainian army uniforms and dressed as civilians to infiltrate. It is also about reducing the risk of another Salisbury-style attack, which was carried out by Russian agents entering the UK with fake IDs, and atrocities that have been carried out by people pretending to be refugees. Some credible reports of people pretending to be Ukrainian have emerged, and there are concerns about weapons being smuggled around Europe. We need to make sure that bad people are not taking advantage of refugees to try and do harm.
People without biometric passports will be able to come to the UK and then submit their biometrics, which I hope will mean people can get to the UK quicker.
I know some may find this frustrating, but it is a national security issue and there is cross-party consensus on this. Ed Miliband recently confirmed that the Labour Party also supports the decision to conduct security checks on all Ukrainians coming to the UK.
The Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK has himself said that he recognises the importance of security checks. The Ambassador also pointed out that most Ukrainian refugees would rather stay in countries nearer their homes that they hope to return to soon, and where they have close cultural ties, rather than travel thousands of miles. However, we can and will welcome anybody who is eligible and wants to come to the UK.
It is also a fact of geography that the countries closest to a warzone will always see the biggest influx of refugees. That is why we must ensure that people who have already left Ukraine have adequate supplies of food and shelter. The last update I had was that over 2 million Ukrainians had fled the country since the invasion, mostly to Poland.
To help, the government is providing £220 million in aid to provide vital medical supplies and other practical help on the ground. This funding will help aid agencies respond provide humanitarian aid, creating a lifeline for Ukrainians with access to basic necessities and medical supplies such as medicines, syringes, dressings and wound care packs. UK Government humanitarian experts have also deployed to the region to support those fleeing the violence in Ukraine. This is on top of hundreds of millions of other non-repayable economic and military support.
The government must now work with local authorities to ensure that any refugees who come to the UK are well looked after. We already needed more housing in Britain, so it is vital that any future housebuilding targets are increased and authorities have the extra resources they need to help. I will be raising all of this with Ministers in the coming days.
The West can be proud of our initial political, military, and humanitarian response to the invasion, but there is so much work to be done ahead. Please be assured I fully understand how important it is we get all these factors right going forward, especially when it comes to helping refugees.
