§ 30. Mr. JoyceTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the deployment of British armed forces in Afghanistan. [24492]
§ Mr. HoonAs I told the House on 19 December and 10 January, the United Kingdom has agreed to lead the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.
Under the terms of the Bonn Agreement of 5 December 2001, the ISAF will assist the Afghanistan Interim Administration to provide security and stability in Kabul. The ISAF will play a vital part in the international community's support to the Afghan people in the difficult task of rebuilding their country.
The UK will be lead nation of the ISAF for a limited period of three months. The UK will provide up to 1,800 personnel for the ISAF. In addition and in the short term, we are deploying nearly 300 Army and RAF personnel to help repair and operate Kabul International airport. As of today, we have some 600 troops in Kabul.
In total, the ISAF will be around 5,000 strong. So far some 1,000 troops have deployed to Kabul. In all, some 17 countries will be deploying troops alongside UK forces as part of the ISAF.
§ 38. Mr. CarmichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of UK forces for the purpose of humanitarian relief in Afghanistan. [24500]
§ Mr. HoonUK forces are being deployed to Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force. The provision of humanitarian relief is outwith their mission of providing security assistance to the Afghanistan Interim Administration. They will, however, be in a position to identify potential humanitarian reconstruction projects.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the forces deployed in Afghanistan have unmodified SA80 rifles; and if he will make a statement. [26672]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 11 January 2002]: As of 11 January, all UK units deployed in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force have been re-equipped with modified SA80 rifles.
The programme of converting units to the modified SA80 is progressing very well. Every effort is being made to ensure that the rate of throughput of modified weapons is sufficient so that all UK service personnel deploying in 52W future to Afghanistan, including engineer and logistic units, will have the upgraded weapon. However, a small number of individual augmentees in logistic and other support functions will not have received modified weapons prior to deployment.