To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress by the Afghan government in meeting its commitments to provide land for Afghan refugees under the Land Allocation Scheme; and if he will make a statement. (242182)

The Land Allocation Scheme is an ambitious Afghanistan government program designed to distribute intact and uncultivated government land to landless returnees and internally displaced persons for housing. It is intended to provide a long-term solution to a complex problem.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is supporting the Afghanistan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation to strengthen capacity, at national and local levels. Though the scheme is not yet as widespread or effective as the situation requires, according to UNHCR as of June 2008, 32,586 families have received temporary land ownership deeds.