To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many miles of the Afghanistan Ring road run through the British Area of Operations (AO) in Regional Command South; what assessment he has made of the security of the Ring Road in Britain’s AO; what percentage of the Ring Road in Britain’s AO is paved; and if he will make a statement. (170826)

A total of 86 miles of the Afghan ring road lies within the British Area of Operations in Helmand Province. The entire road within Helmand is paved. Security along the route is kept under constant review. There have been a small number of isolated attacks carried out on vehicles using the ring road by insurgents and criminal elements, but it remains an effective communication route.