To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK military personnel have been engaged in operations in Afghanistan since 2001; and how many are expected to be involved over the next five years. (269920)

As at 1 March 2009, 65,520 members of the UK armed forces have been identified as having deployed to Afghanistan. This figure does not include personnel deployed to Afghanistan between the periods 1 January 2003 and 14 October 2005 for which data are not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

We do not comment on future troop deployments but our force levels are kept under regular review by chiefs and Ministers as part of routine defence business.