Afghanistan

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To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's total budget for Afghanistan has been in each of the last three financial years; what the projected budget is for the year ahead; and how funds have been allocated. [118589]

[holding answer 10 June 2003]: Separately identifiable costs apportioned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office budget for Afghanistan over the last three years are: 2000–01: £0.67 million, 2001–02: £1.77 million, 2002–03: £9.5 million. The forecast cost for 2003–04 is £22 million.These costs include:

a. staff and administration costs in UK and Afghanistan (£256,000, £1.1 million, £2.5 million over the past three years and £4.3 million forecast for 2003–04);

b. capital costs in Kabul: (£0, £650,000, £500,000 over the past three years and £2.8 million forecast for 2003–04. The 2003–04 forecast includes the cost of the new Embassy)

c. Afghanistan assistance programmes: (£418,000, £310,000, £6.5 million over the past three years and £15 million forecast for 2003–04).

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the objectives of Government policy are towards Afghanistan. [120502]

The objective of British Government policy in Afghanistan is a stable and secure Afghanistan restored to its rightful place in the community of nations and enjoying mature relations with its neighbours. It should have a self-sustaining economy; strong institutions; and a broad-based, multiethnic regime committed to:

eradicating terrorism
eliminating opium production;
reducing poverty;
respecting human rights, especially those of women and minority groups; and
honouring Afghanistan's other international obligations.

Volume 407: debated on Friday 20 June 2003