To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an estimate of the number of retired Gurkhas working as private security contractors in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. (284417)

Information on the number of retired Gurkhas working as private security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

161 former Gurkhas are working for a contractor providing security services at our Missions in Iraq. 299 are working for a contractor providing security services at our Missions in Afghanistan.