§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to curb the opium trade in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [122004]
§ Mr. RammellThe Afghan Transitional Administration adopted a National Drug Control Strategy on 19 May 2003. The UK has committed £70 million over the next three years to assist in the objective of eliminating opium poppy from Afghanistan and will post additional British Embassy personnel to Kabul in the coming months to help the Afghan Transitional Administration to achieve their objective.