I am afraid you need to be a little more specific!!!
The 'UK and the Middle East' comprise several countries with different systems and customs.
I would suggest that you need to be specific about which country in the UK you are referring and which country in the Middle East and then post on each country's board eg the England board, the Kuwait board etc.
For more information on researching in the 7 differing countries of the UK and Ireland group try
www.genuki.org.uk (England, Ireland (Northern and Republic), Scotland, Wales, Channel Islands, Isle of Man)
Also - were the people in the Middle East of European origin? If so, their records will probably be also mirrored in their home countries. For example, UK citizens (of the whole here!) have their BMD's held in London. with the England and Wales records.
This is the board dealing with questions relating to the English County of Gloucestershire specifically, so this is not the right place to ask such general questions.
HTH