Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Oral Answers to Questions

Dan Poulter Excerpts
Monday 8th November 2010

(13 years, 12 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Dan Poulter Portrait Dr Daniel Poulter (Central Suffolk and North Ipswich) (Con)
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T10. Aid agencies in Afghanistan have expressed concern that offering cash rewards in exchange for information puts Afghans, their families and their communities at risk from anti-Government groups. Can the Minister assure me that this practice is not being followed by British commanders?

Nick Harvey Portrait The Minister for the Armed Forces (Nick Harvey)
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In operations in the environment of Afghanistan, our forces must of course work in co-operation with both Afghan authorities and local people to obtain information that is essential to the security of our personnel and others working in the international security assistance force. I am aware that any form of co-operation with ISAF may put people in danger of reprisals, but clearly we rely heavily on such information.