Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total cost to the public purse was of his visit to Afghanistan on 25 June 2018.

The Foreign Secretary visited Afghanistan on 25 June ahead of a National Security Council discussion. Following the recent ceasefires in Afghanistan, and with elections due later this year, this was a timely opportunity to take stock of progress and the UK’s supportive role in providing peace and stability to Afghanistan (full details can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-flies-into-kabul-to-support-signs-of-progress-in-afghanistan). The Foreign Secretary also visited the United Arab Emirates, meeting the Deputy Foreign Minister. The cost of the Foreign Secretary’s travel will be disclosed in the usual way and published as part of transparency data in accordance with Cabinet Office requirements. We do not discuss operational planning of any visits by the Foreign Secretary.