Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Mr. Jenkin
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of board of inquiry reports into deaths of armed services personnel in Afghanistan which occurred in September 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Bob Ainsworth
[holding answer 21 January 2008]: We recognise that in high-profile cases the public interest is served by disclosure of the findings and recommendations of a Board of Inquiry. The main elements of such reports will normally be made available to the public via the following MOD website address, once the family has been briefed on its contents:

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/BoardsOfInquiry/BoardsOflnquirybois.htm

Mr. Bone
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made in securing the commitment of personnel from other European NATO member states to the international security assistance force in Afghanistan.

Des Browne
NATO nations have a made a collective commitment to Afghanistan and to meet the force levels set out in the Combined Joint Statement Of Requirements. Recent pledges made by European NATO members include additional forces from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Poland, Romania and Turkey.