To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sources of illicit funding for the Taliban his Department has identified other than that derived from the narcotics trade; and if he will make a statement. (293787)

The illicit narcotics trade continues to provide a significant source of income for the Taliban. Other sources of funds are foreign donations, local contributions, illegitimate taxes, ransom for kidnapping, and extortion and smuggling. We are working with our international partners, and through established mechanisms like the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 sanctions regime, to identify and eliminate the Taliban’s access to these funding sources.