We have all been deeply moved by the plight of the Ukrainian people. The country is united in condemnation of Putin’s depraved war and in its desire to do all we can to help Ukrainians.

Today I updated the House of Commons on the Government’s humanitarian response which has been developed following close consultation with the Ukrainian government.

I have two overarching obligations: to meet my first responsibility of keeping the British people safe and to meet their overwhelming demand that we do all we can to help Ukrainians. No Home Secretary can take these decisions lightly and I am in daily contact with the intelligence and security agencies, who provide me with regular threat assessments.

This morning I received assurances that enabled me to announce changes to the Ukraine Family Scheme. Vital security checks will of course continue, but from Tuesday, Ukrainian nationals with passports will no longer need to go to a Visa Application Centre to give their biometrics before they come to the UK. Instead, once their application has been considered and the appropriate checks completed, they will receive direct notification that they are eligible for the scheme and can come to the UK.

Ukrainian nationals with passports will be able to get permission to come to the UK, fully online, from wherever they are; and will be able to give their biometrics once in the UK. This will mean that Visa Application Centres across Europe can focus their efforts on helping Ukrainians without passports, or who are vulnerable or may struggle to use online systems. We have increased the capacity at those Centres to 13,000 appointments per week. This streamlined approach will be operational as of 15 March, in order to make the necessary technical changes. It is vital that we get the IT right. I will of course update you if the security picture changes and if it becomes necessary or feasible to make further changes.

Individuals who come here having used the new streamlined process, will present their letter to Border Force who will endorse their passport with a six-month entry stamp that evidences their right to work, study and claim benefits in the UK. Once in the UK, individuals will be able to extend their stay (for up to 36 months) and be issued with secure evidence of their status. I believe this is a much better offer than the temporary protection being offered by EU Member States.

I can also confirm that we will soon be establishing a small Visa Application Centre presence in Arras, to provide appointments for Ukrainians referred there by Border Force officers in Calais (for example vulnerable Ukrainians arriving at the juxtaposed controls), given the specific challenges faced by Ukrainians in northern France.

But I also want to emphasise, and would ask you to do the same when helping your constituents, that individuals who wish to apply to the Ukraine Family Scheme without a passport, should do so via their closest Visa Application Centre, and not after they have travelled a long distance to northern France. This is the best and quickest way for them to make appointments and secure their visas.

Alongside all this, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will design and deliver the humanitarian sponsorship visa, which will allow a safe and legal route for those Ukrainians without existing family ties in the UK.

Our generous offer builds on our proud record of welcoming 20,000 Afghan nationals, 97,000 BNOs from Hong Kong, and 20,000 Syrian nationals under resettlement schemes.

This crisis, like the Afghanistan crisis that came before it, underlines the importance of reform of our immigration system, so that we have the capacity to welcome refugees swiftly and in large numbers, and can focus our efforts on people in genuine need.

I will continue to keep you up to date on this work, which is kept under constant review. We will do everything we can to support Ukrainians, continuing this country’s proud history of being a place of sanctuary and of standing for freedom and democracy and against barbarism and tyranny.

Rt Hon Priti Patel MP