To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of Taliban commanders who have surrendered in Afghanistan as a result of (a) diplomatic and (b) military action. (172152)

Between 1 May 2005, when the Program-Tachim-e Sol’ scheme was begun by the Government of Afghanistan, and 1 November 2007, some 4,600 former insurgents have sought reconciliation. No breakdown is available of the past status of these individuals or whether they entered the scheme as a result of diplomatic or military means.