Homes for Ukraine Scheme - Commons Urgent Question

Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 5:27 pm on 31 March 2022.

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Photo of Baroness Sheehan Baroness Sheehan Liberal Democrat 5:27, 31 March 2022

My Lords, yesterday the noble Lord, Lord Ahmad, in response to the Statement on Ukraine, said that 2,700 visas had been granted to Ukrainian refugees. Can the Minister say whether that number refers to applications for the Homes for Ukraine scheme? My understanding is that people who do manage to navigate that application process are issued a reference number, not a visa, and then have to await an official letter of permission to travel to the UK, without which they cannot enter the UK. This is yet another example of putting paperwork before people. How many people have received that letter and, as a consequence, how many people have arrived in the UK?