To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the (a) responsibilities and (b) functions are of the UK's role as (i) G8 lead nation for the counter narcotics campaign as set out in the Joint Declaration of an Enduring Relationship between the UK and Afghanistan and (ii) partner nation in the field for counter narcotics, as set out in the Enduring Relationship Action Plan 2006-07. (134005)

The UK took on lead G8 responsibility for counter narcotics following the Bonn Agreement in 2001. In 2006 it was agreed that the concept of 'lead nation' was redundant, as the Afghan Government now had lead responsibility for all aspects of security sector reform. The UK therefore became Afghanistan's 'partner nation' on counter narcotics.

Signed in July 2005, the Joint Declaration of An Enduring Relationship between the UK and Afghanistan is a bilateral agreement between the UK and Afghanistan. The Enduring Relationship Action Plan 2006-07 sets out the commitments between the two Governments under the 2005 Joint Declaration. Both are available in the Library of the House. Under both the Joint Declaration and the Action Plan, the UK agreed to help Afghanistan mobilise and co-ordinate international efforts to end the drugs trade, in support of the four national priorities identified in the Afghan Government's national drug control strategy (NDCS) - targeting the trafficker, strengthening and diversifying legal rural livelihoods, reducing demand and developing state institutions. We are spending £270 million over three years in support of the NDCS.