Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to provide official channels to support charities sending aid funding to Afghanistan.

On 22 December, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2615 which added a humanitarian exception to the sanctions regime established by resolution 1988 (2011), enabling the provision of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. The UK government is now working as a priority to update the relevant UK legislation to implement this exception. The UK government continues to work closely with the UN and non-governmental organisations (NGO) to ensure that UK aid benefits Afghans in need while meeting our international obligations. We are providing life-saving humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan through the UN, NGOs and the Red Cross Movement on the ground, who are continuing to ensure vital aid reaches those who need it most. We have made the humanitarian situation and access a major subject of our engagement with the Taliban. We continue to monitor this closely.