Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to assist the government of Afghanistan in tackling corruption in that country.

I have been asked to reply.

Helping Afghans to tackle corruption is critical to the UK’s engagement in Afghanistan. We are taking a leading role in raising the profile and priority of anti-corruption efforts and coordinating international efforts focused on interventions that contribute to the building of a stable political settlement and a viable state.

The UK’s objectives are to:

• Change norms and incentives: supporting increased transparency, citizen engagement, civil society advocacy and oversight, and applying greater political pressure;
• Strengthen systems to reduce opportunity: supporting stronger private sector regulation, strengthening public financial management and administrative controls;
• Increase risk to individuals: supporting enforcement to increase sanctions, controlling access to the UK and increasing reputational risk; and
• Minimise risk in UK-funded activity: improving use of evidence and further strengthening programme and risk management.