Committee publication · Correspondence · 14 May 2026
Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence relating to Afghanistan Resettlement Programme Update, 28 April 2026
From: Public Accounts Committee
Inquiry: Afghanistan Response Route (ARR)
Summary
Luke Pollard, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, informs the Public Accounts Committee that the Ministry of Defence is ending in-country support for eligible Afghans under the ARAP and ARR resettlement schemes, requiring them to self-fund movement to third countries. MOD is also closing transitional accommodation on the Defence Estate and hotel facilities, setting a December 2028 deadline for all support and relocations, with enforcement of the 12-month VAC appointment rule.
Key findings
- MOD is ending third-party in-country assistance for eligible persons in Afghanistan, requiring them to self-move to third countries to access visa application centres, citing increased evidence of successful self-moves and value-for-money considerations.
- A December 2028 backstop date has been introduced for MOD support in third countries, including entry clearance application submissions, marking the end of relocations to the UK except in exceptional circumstances.
- MOD will enforce the 12-month VAC appointment requirement within the Immigration Rules and has ceased running transitional sites on the Defence Estate, transferring remaining Afghans to Local Authority support.
- Two of six hotels procured for transitional accommodation will be closed by May 2026, with MOD committed to ending use of Service Family Accommodation properties by end of 2028.
- An updated cost estimate for the Afghan Resettlement Programme will be provided to Parliament through routine reporting to reflect the impact of these policy changes.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Luke Pollard MP, Ministry of Defence, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Public Accounts Committee, Home Office, Local Authorities, Permanent Secretary
Notable line
“Eligible Afghans will need to make their own way to a Third Country when they are able to do so.”
Key Quotes
“… we have decided to end in-country assistance for movements out of Afghanistan”
“December 2028 will therefore mark the end of relocations to the UK apart from in exceptional circumstances”
“… the use of the Defence Estate for the ARP was never intended to be a long- term solution.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗