Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what additional aid and assistance is being offered to the government of Afghanistan following the recent attack on the Afghan Parliament.

I condemned the appalling attacks on the Afghan Parliamant. Such attacks are planned and perpetrated by a brutal minority with the aim of undermining efforts, supported by the majority of Afghan citizens, to rebuild their country, repair the damage done by so many years of violent conflict, and ensure a democratic and peaceful future for all Afghans.

Working for a stable and secure Afghanistan able to stand firm against terrorism remains a key UK objective. The UK played a leading role in the International Security Assistance Force mission. With NATO support, the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces now number around 330,000, the strongest in Afghan history. In January 2015 Afghan forces assumed independent responsibility for the country’s security, a significant achievement and a tangible demonstration of the progress achieved to date. The UK is the lead nation for the Afghan National Army Officer Academy.

The UK has committed to maintain development support to Afghanistan at its current level - £178 million per year – until at least 2017. This includes a specific programme to support Afghanistan’s political institutions and processes, including Parliament.