MPs call for Government to give certainty to Ukrainians and extend asylum scheme

MPs have called for the Government to give greater certainty to Ukrainians living in Britain and extend the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

In an emotional contribution, Conservative MP Duncan Baker pleaded with the minister to “help these people until the end”.

Mr Baker, who is hosting Anna Kolomiichuk and her son Sviatik, said the Government owed it to Ukrainians to continue the scheme because they already have enough problems to deal with.

Legal migration minister Tom Pursglove said Ukrainians will be informed of all options available to them at least 12 months before their visas expire.

Speaking in Westminster Hall, Norfolk North MP Mr Baker said: “What pains me the most about this whole war – and of course there are many, many things we find so painful – is that it shouldn’t be me who is teaching a little boy to ride his bicycle, it shouldn’t be me taking him to school for the first day, it shouldn’t be me taking him fishing, and it it shouldn’t be me that on Christmas day when he gets a football, says: ‘Will you play with me?’ It should be his father.

“So, if there’s one thing that this Government can do, it’s to damn well help these people until the end.

“We owe it to them, we owe it to a nation to carry on, because these people have problems of their own to deal with – the trauma of being separated from your own family for this length of time.

“They don’t need any more worry about: ‘Is the British Government going to send them back home when it’s not safe?’ – and it isn’t safe.”

He added: “In February 2023, when I stood on the side of a road in Lviv, because that was the safest part to go to, I made a promise to Sviatik’s father.

“I said: ‘I’ll look after your boy, until it’s time to come home.’ Please, don’t break that promise.”

Mr Pursglove said the Government was “actively working” through the issue, adding: “All Ukrainians in the UK, under the Ukraine schemes, will be informed of the options available to them well in advance of their visas expiring.”

He continued: “We are committed to letting everybody know at least 12 months ahead of what the future holds in terms of the arrangements for any extension of these visas.”

During the debate on the potential merits for extending the Homes for Ukraine scheme, Conservative MP for Mid Derbyshire Pauline Latham called for the Government to give greater certainty to Ukrainian students.

Ms Latham said: “The Government cannot stand in their way by uncertainty of the future of their education. Our country has done so much to support the continuing education of Ukrainians by the UK.”

She added: “If we strongly believe that Ukraine will come out of the war victorious, then it makes sense to invest in the future of their country by educating their future citizens whilst they’re over here in our care.

“It would be a shame to fail the Ukrainian nation at this final hurdle.”

Ms Latham also said the Government should minimise the threat of homelessness for Ukrainians when the scheme comes to an end.

On education, Mr Pursglove said: “I recognise the concern of Ukrainians who have started a university course around whether or not they’ll be able to complete it.

“We of course want bright and motivated students across our schools and universities to continue their hard work, focusing on their education.

“That’s why, where a person’s Ukraine scheme leave expires during their course and they’re granted further leave to remain under one of the standard immigration routes, they will continue to be eligible to access student support in order to complete their studies.

“We would expect that providers will set their fees for such students accordingly.”

On homelessness, Mr Pursglove said councils across the UK had been provided £1.1 billion to house Ukrainians.

He added: “For those unable to find new accommodation, we have re-matching services available to help Ukrainians who have moved out of their sponsor accommodation, to find a new sponsor.”