An Oldham MP has reiterated her request for the government to implement a ‘Homes for Afghans’ scheme along the lines of the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme.

The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021 after capturing Kabul and overthrowing the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, going on to establish the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Recently, an Afghan woman who has spoken out against the Taliban was left fearing for her life after the Home Office denied her a new visa and suggested she should return to Afghanistan.

Speaking in a Parliamentary debate Ukrainian refugees on March 14, Oldham East & Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams said: "I absolutely agree that this was the right, empathetic and correct thing to do in response to the appalling number of refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

“I draw the hon. Gentlemen’s attention to something I said when Homes for Ukraine was introduced by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, just a few months after the evacuation of Afghanistan.

“I said that we should also be looking for homes for Afghans. I hope we might reflect on that in this debate.”

The Oldham East & Saddleworth MP made headlines in 2021 after she helped a woman Afghan MP flee the Taliban.

Communities minister Felicity Buchan said it was difficult to rehouse Afghan families as they ‘are quite large.’

Felicity Buchan told MPs there are 8,350 Afghans currently being housed in bridging hotels – temporary accommodation while a permanent home can be sourced.

She insisted the Government is “incredibly focused on making sure that we get Afghans into permanent accommodation” as it is “clearly right for the Afghan families”.

However, the communities minister acknowledged “it has been slightly slower than one would have wanted”, adding: “Part of the issue is that a lot of the Afghan families are quite large, and we just don’t have available many three, four or five-bedroom properties.

“But it is a huge focus of Government to locate those properties.”

Speaking after the debate, on homelessness amongst Ukrainian refugees in the Commons, Debbie Abrahams MP, reiterated her point, saying: "I fully support the Homes For Ukraine scheme but I have always believed it should be extended to Afghan refugees too, especially the thousands of Afghan women, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and interpreters who worked with the UK and US armies for many years.

“The UK, quite rightly, reacted quickly to the need to welcome and protect Ukrainian refugees and also promised to help 20,000 Afghan refugees, but following on from the evacuation from Afghanistan in August 2021 when 6,000 Afghans were given refuge, there have been barely a handful of Afghans under threat of death who have been given visas under phase 3 of the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme.

“At a recent meeting at the Foreign Office I was told that this was because of housing issues. It leaves me to question why we can't operate a Homes for Afghans Scheme too, which is what I asked in the debate.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Each crisis situation requires a tailored response and our bespoke schemes for Ukrainians and Afghans have provided a route to safety to the UK for tens of thousands of vulnerable people.

“Supporting the relocation of eligible Afghans remains a top priority and we have so far welcomed around 24,500 people to the UK. This includes British nationals and their families, Afghans who loyally served the UK and others identified as particularly at-risk.”