Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of expanding economic cooperation with Afghanistan on the compatibility with the Government's stated concerns regarding the Taliban's human rights record, particularly in relation to women and girls.

The UK is committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan. The rights and needs of women and girls remain a specific UK priority. We have allocated £105 million per year over 2026-29 to deliver life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable including vital services and livelihood support. We are committed to ensuring that at least 50 per cent of UK aid beneficiaries are women and girls. In 2025/26, UK aid supported at least 5 million Afghans, including around 3 million women and girls. The Taliban's severe restrictions on women and girls continue to undermine fundamental freedoms and present a significant barrier to Afghanistan's long-term development, stability and prosperity. No UK aid is provided directly to the Taliban. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials engage pragmatically with the Taliban to press for the removal of restrictive policies, particularly those affecting women and girls. This does not constitute recognition.