§ Mr. Bob Dunnasked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government recognise the illegal regime in Afghanistan; what diplomatic administration is maintained in Kabul and at what cost; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HurdAs my right hon. Friend announced in his reply of 25 April 1980 to my hon. Friend the Member for Westbury (Mr. Walters), Her Majesty's Government no longer accord recognition to Governments. The Government do not deal with the Babrak Karmal régime on a Government-to-Government basis: the dealings which our post in Kabul has with the authorities are kept to routine administrative matters. In Kabul Her Majesty's Government are represented by a chargé d'affaires, with five supporting staff, the cost of running the post in 1979–80 was £297,000.