The Government has responded on its new Number Ten website to the petition for locally employed Iraqis. It reads:
Thank you for your e-petition requesting that Locally Engaged (LE) staff in Iraq should be offered asylum in the UK.
In a written parliamentary Statement on 9 October 2007 , the Foreign Secretary acknowledged that LE Iraqi staff working for our Armed Forces and civilian missions in Iraq have made an invaluable contribution, in uniquely difficult circumstances, to the UK’s effort to support security, stability and development in Iraq. In recognition of this, the Government made the decision to offer these staff, on an ex gratia basis, assistance which goes above and beyond legal and contractual requirements.
Serving staff (defined for the scheme as those employed on or after 8 August 2007) who meet the criteria, are able to apply for one of three forms of assistance: a one-off package of financial assistance; leave to enter the UK, outside the immigration rules; or the opportunity of resettlement in the UK through the UK’s Gateway refugee resettlement programme. Former staff (defined as those whose employment ended before 8 August 2007), are able to apply for one of two forms of assistance: a one-off package of financial assistance; or the opportunity of resettlement in the UK through the UK’s Gateway refugee resettlement programme.
The Government has taken into account the need to ensure that any assistance scheme, in particular in respect of admission to or resettlement in the UK, is practical, realistic and preserves the integrity of wider immigration and asylum policy. For these reasons, the Government has sought to ensure that admission to the UK is managed as far as possible in line with existing processes and programmes. The UK Border Agency has worked closely with Employing Departments to develop a transparent process to assist eligible LE Iraqi staff in accessing the scheme.
Further details of the scheme of assistance were published in a written Ministerial Statement on 30 October 2007.
Since the scheme of assistance the UK is offering to Locally Engaged Iraqi staff was announced, staff across government have assessed just over 500 people as being eligible for assistance. Their cases are being taken forward as quickly as possible. To date, about 60% of those eligible, who have so far informed us of their preferred form of assistance, have opted for financial assistance.
The first individuals who chose to come to the UK with Indefinite Leave to Enter outside the Immigration Rules, arrived in April 2008 and July 2008. The first groups of former staff who have been accepted for resettlement to the UK under Gateway arrived in the UK in July and August 2008. Arrangements are being made to welcome others to the UK over the coming weeks and months.
We continue to fully recognise the efforts of LE Iraqi staff and remain committed to demonstrating our debt of gratitude to them.
I will be posting more later.
xD.