Written question asked by Andrew Smith (Labour) on Friday, 22 June 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 29 June 2007. It was answered by Kim Howells (Labour) on Friday, 29 June 2007 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Iraq: Asylum

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been given to Iraqi citizens who have provided interpretation services for official UK representatives in Iraq to (a) enter and (b) remain in the UK on grounds of their security; and how many Iraqis have been assisted in this way.

Answer: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold a central record of applications for assistance to enter and remain in the UK on grounds of security, from Iraqi citizens who have provided interpretation services for UK representatives in Iraq. In order to answer my hon. Friend’s question accurately, officials at all diplomatic posts, and some Departments in the UK, would be required to examine all their records since 2003, which would incur disproportionate cost.As I said in my response to the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Mr. Moore) on 21 June 2007, Official Report, column 2206W, in line with our policy worldwide, we do not comment on the substance of individual immigration or consular cases, and all applications are dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Secondary information