Questions are still being asked about the treatment of Iraqi former local staff:
The Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench)
My Lords, are there any Iraqi interpreters—those who worked with our former defence forces—still living in fear of their lives, and have they applied for entry into this country?
Lord Tunnicliffe (Government Whip (technically a Lord in Waiting, HM Household); Labour)
My Lords, the UK has an assistance scheme for locally employed staff. It has had two phases, covering those employed before 7 August 2007 and those employed since. In the first phase, some 592 people—mostly interpreters—have entered the United Kingdom. As many again took a lump sum of money because they believed that their future would be better in Iraq itself. Employees since then have become eligible for phase 2 of the scheme. When people become redundant or for other good reasons cannot continue in employment, there is a lump-sum or resettlement option. Some 334 individuals have entered the UK on the basis of that scheme.