Iraq: Resettlement

Lynne Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the assistance package to locally employed staff in Iraq is limited to staff who have attained 12 months or more of continuous service; and if he will make the assistance available to all locally employed staff who are made redundant or have to resign from their jobs because of what the Government judge to be exceptional circumstances.

Dr. Howells
We are focusing on staff who have given us dedicated service over a period of time. Staff who have not yet worked for us for 12 months but reach that mark in future will become eligible at that time. A 12-month requirement is not unique to the UK; it is also a feature of the US Special Immigrant Visa programme for its Iraqi staff. We have no plans to extend the assistance scheme.