Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government will take, following the killing by extremists of Afghan girl students at school, to use air power from external bases, in conjunction with the US, to assist the Afghan Government resist terrorism by (a) Daesh and (b) the Taliban, after all NATO land forces have been withdrawn from Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Heappey
We deplore the attack on the Sayed al-Shuhada School in Kabul and send our deepest condolences to the families of those killed.
NATO partners, including the UK, confirmed on 14 April that an orderly and coordinated withdrawal of NATO forces will begin by May. As agreed by NATO Foreign and Defence Ministers, the withdrawal of Resolute Support Mission forces from Afghanistan will be complete within a few months. The UK's Operation TORAL forms a part of the Resolute Support Mission and as such we will draw down this operation in line with our NATO Allies and Partners.
The UK has not engaged in combat operations, including close air support, since the end of Operation HERRICK in 2014. We have no plans to restart combat operations believing instead that the political process must now move forward.
The UK remains committed to supporting Afghanistan on its path to a more peaceful and positive future. Only a negotiated and inclusive settlement will bring sustainable peace. For there to be any chance of a lasting peace, the Taliban must engage meaningfully in a dialogue with the Afghan government. The UK remains committed to supporting the development of the Afghan Security Forces on their path to becoming fully self-sufficient and in maintaining security for the people of Afghanistan. We are committed to continue providing financial support to sustain Afghan forces through to at least 2024.
The Taliban has committed to preventing terrorist groups using Afghanistan to launch international attacks; they must deliver on their commitments. We need to see action that matches their word.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Afghan (a) present and (b) former (i) interpreters (ii) other locally employed civilians have applied for resettlement to the UK and are currently awaiting a decision; whether all such applications will be fully decided before 11 September 2021; what arrangements will exist after that date to enable further applications to be made in the event that the security situation deteriorates; and if he will take immediate steps to ensure that applications to resettle in the UK made by bona fide former employees of UK armed forces receive positive responses.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Her Majesty's Government has so far relocated 1,358 locally employed Afghan staff and their families to the UK. A total of 532 eligible locally employed staff have applied for relocation to the UK, of which 84 are currently awaiting a decision. Of these, all but six are interpreters and all are former locally employed staff. These applications will be fully decided before 11 September 2021. I cannot comment on arrangements to enable further applications to be made after that date in the event that the security situation deteriorates, as doing so would require me to reveal the details of live operational planning. I have tasked my officials to work in concert with partners across government to explore all options to ensure that current and former locally employed staff who are eligible for relocation under the terms of the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy and the Ex-Gratia Scheme are relocated.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the total of nuclear warheads deployed by (a) Russia, (b) China, (c) the US and (d) France on (i) intercontinental and (ii) intermediate-range missiles in each of the last five years.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence continues to track the threat from nuclear and advanced novel weapons systems held by potential adversaries. Our estimates of our adversaries' nuclear warhead stockpiles remains classified. We judge that Russian strategic and intermediate nuclear capabilities continue to grow, both in terms of warheads and delivery systems. Figures declared by Russia under the New START Treaty do not provide an accurate picture of the growth in the nuclear threat that Russia presents. China does not declare its nuclear warhead numbers but is currently undertaking a significant modernisation programme with an expansion of its nuclear arsenal and development of a nuclear triad. Both countries are also investing heavily in novel weapons systems.