To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take in response to the Nepalese Government's request that his Department's policy on former Gurkha soldiers introduced in 2004 be applied to all former Gurkha soldiers. (280395)

Policy introduced in 2004 enables those who served in the Brigade of Gurkhas, for a minimum of four years, on or after July 1997 to apply for settlement in the United Kingdom.

On 21 May 2009, the Home Secretary announced that new guidance would be published to make it clear that those who served between 1945 and 1997 and who have served a minimum of four years would be eligible to apply for settlement. This guidance has now been published.