Afghanistan and national security threats to the UK
The House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee will take evidence from Ministers from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and Ministry of Defence.
The Committee will ask about the importance of Afghanistan as a national security and foreign policy priority for the UK, tackling Afghanistan’s role as the source of 95% of heroin on the UK’s streets, and whether the UK would be willing to work with the Taliban.
Meeting details
At 10:15am: Oral evidence
Inquiry
The UK and Afghanistan
Prime Minister's Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict at Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and Minister of State (Minister for South Asia and the Commonwealth) at Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Minister of State at Ministry of Defence
Possible questions
- Where does Afghanistan rank within the UK’s foreign and security policy priorities, particularly in light of the forthcoming publication of the Integrated Review? To what extent is protecting the UK’s legacy since 2001 a factor?
- What role has the UK been playing in support of the (stalled) talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government in Doha?
- Does the UK consider the Taliban to be an organisation it can potentially work with? If it were brought into the Afghan government, would the UK continue to provide financial and other support?
- Many commentators have described the planned US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 as precipitate. What is the Government’s view? What discussions have you had, or do you plan to have, with your US counterparts about the possibility of a delay or additional conditions to be met by the Taliban before the withdrawal?
- What is the Government’s assessment of the possible impact on security and counterterrorism efforts of a US withdrawal before a peace deal has been agreed between the Taliban and the Afghan government? What is the likelihood that Afghanistan could again become a safe haven for international terrorist groups?
- To what extent would the UK, and other NATO Allies, consider acting separately to US, for example keeping their troops in Afghanistan through the Resolute Support Mission in the case of a full US military withdrawal? Have such discussions been held?
- Will UK aid to Afghanistan be affected by the cut to the UK’s overall development budget announced in July?
Further information