Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) support the Government has provided to Afghanistan in July 2021 and (b) recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Afghan Government.

The UK Government remains committed to supporting Afghanistan through our diplomatic and development work and support to the security sector. We continue to be a substantial contributor to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund and its role in continuing to provide primary health care and tackle Covid-19 and to educate children. We remain committed to providing financial support to sustain Afghan forces. We are working with the government of Afghanistan to tackle illicit finance and corruption. We are supporting the international efforts to energise an Afghan peace process.

UK Government ministers and officials have frequent discussions with representatives of the Afghan Government. Most recently on 16 July, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia, discussed peace and security in Afghanistan with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Foreign Minister Haneef Atmar. The Prime Minister spoke to President Ghani on 17 June to reaffirm the UK's commitment to Afghanistan and that the UK would continue to support a negotiated peace settlement as the best path to peace in Afghanistan.