HC Deb 18 May 1995 vol 260 cc312-3W
Mr. Madden

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action Her Majesty's Government are taking(a) directly, (b) through the EU and (c) through other organisations, to assist the Government of Pakistan in combating drug trafficking; what assistance is being given to the supply of equipment to combat drug trafficking with particular reference to helicopters; and if he will make a statement. [22306]

Mr. Baldry

[pursuant to his reply 2 May, Official Report, column 151]: I regret that the last three paragraphs of my answer of 2 May were inadvertently omitted. The full answer is as follows:

We have given considerable narcotics-related assistance to Pakistan both bilaterally and through multilateral channels. Last financial year, bilateral assistance includes the provision of law enforcement training by HM Customs and Excise. Multilaterally we have pledged over £8 million since 1985 to projects administered by the United Nations drug control programme to strengthen law enforcement control of the Pakistan/Iran/Afghanistan border area and to reduce the supply of opium through rural development.

As part of the programme of assistance, we agreed to fund the purchase of two helicopters to enhance the capacity of the ANF to interdict drugs convoys in the area bordering Afghanistan and Iran.

Assistance by EU Governments is co-ordinated through the forum of the Dublin group both locally and in Brussels. Assistance by the European Commission has been mainly directed towards narcotics demand reduction.

HM Customs and Excise works closely with Pakistani law enforcement agencies. We stand ready to provide further assistance and are considering additional requests from the Pakistan Government for training and equipment to enhance their capability to counter drug trafficking.