In The Times letters section, Lord Carey writes:

"It is right that the exodus of Christians from their Middle Eastern homeland is a tragedy that is gathering pace. I doubt, however, that it was ever true as you state that Christianity could have been described as a “visa advantage”. 

"Christian refugees from Iraq and Syria have struggled to be accepted for resettlement to any western country, particularly the United Kingdom. Barnabas Fund, an aid agency of which I am a patron, obtained government figures in 2017 and 2018 which showed that, out of more than 8,000 Syrian refugees settled in the UK, only 25 were Christian (0.3 per cent). 

"Before the Arab Spring, Christians represented about 10 per cent of the Syrian population. The UNHCR-run scheme discriminates against minorities to this day. I and many others have made repeated representations to the Home Office but we have been ignored."