Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Fowler (Conservative). It was answered on Tuesday, 24 April 2007.

Iraq: Humanitarian Assistance

Question: My Lords, clearly we are in the midst of one of the worst refugee crises in the Middle East since 1948. Perhaps I may ask the noble Baroness one specific question. What steps are being taken to protect those brave Iraqis who have been working with the British as, for example, translators and administrators at very serious risk of reprisal both to themselves and to their families? Will she give an assurance that the Government will do everything they can to help such people, including giving them the opportunity of resettlement?

Answer: My Lords, I am well aware of these concerns and the noble Lord may know that a letter was recently sent to the Prime Minister about them. The noble Lord will be aware that we consider applications by asylum seekers on a case-by-case basis and that we have a resettlement scheme which considers some 500 people per year. Those applying under the scheme come in the main from the African continent, but we are looking at whether some of the individuals mentioned by the noble Lord could be accommodated within it.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 691 c558-9
Session: 2006-07
Oral question type: 1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Asylum Administration Iraq Protection Peacekeeping operations Staff Interpreters Resettlement Development aid Humanitarian aid Refugees Internally displaced people
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk