To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for the Gateway Programme the UK Government has received from Iraqi citizens formerly employed by the Ministry of Defence. (189855)

The Gateway programme policy states that an individual cannot make an application for resettlement directly to the Border and Immigration Agency. Applications can only be made by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to the UK following an individual assessment by them in a third country. As of 27 February, one formal application for the Gateway programme had been made by UNHCR to the UK on behalf of Iraqi citizens formerly employed by the Ministry of Defence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iraqi citizens formerly employed by (a) the Ministry of Defence, (b) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (c) the Department for International Development have been screened by the Border and Immigration Agency since 8 October 2007. (189942)

Since 8 October 2007 the Border and Immigration Agency has screened the following number of Iraqi citizens who were formerly employed by the three main employing Departments:

74 Iraqi citizens who were formerly employed by the Ministry of Defence have been or are being screened by the Border and Immigration Agency.

Eight Iraqi citizens who were formerly employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have been or are being screened by the Border and Immigration Agency.

Three Iraqi citizens who were formerly employed by the Department for International Development have been or are being screened by the Border and Immigration Agency.