Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk posed to the lives of NATO troops in (1) Afghanistan, and (2) Iraq, as a result of the proposed drawdown of United States troops in those countries by 15 January 2021, as announced on 17 November; and what discussions they have had with the government of the United States about such drawdowns.

The safety and security of all our personnel is of paramount importance. The Ministry of Defence keeps operational risk for both Afghanistan and Iraq under constant review, and we adjust our force protection arrangements in accordance with the circumstances. We have regular discussions with the US and other Allies about our approach to both countries, which we do not discuss publicly.