§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the level of involvement of women is in the administration in Afghanistan. [100000]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Afghan Transitional Administration includes two female Cabinet Ministers and a female State Minister in the President's Office. In addition there are four female Deputy Ministers, five Generals and over a dozen division chiefs in various Ministries. Two of the nine-member Constitutional Drafting Group, five of the 11-member Human Rights Commission and one of the nine-member Judicial Commission are women.
§ Jeremy CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what investigations have been undertaken by United Kingdom officials in Afghanistan of the deaths of Taliban prisoners held by the forces of the Northern Alliance. [100516]
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§ Mr. Mike O'BrienUK officials have no authority to undertake investigations of this nature. However, British Embassy staff in Kabul are in frequent contact with the ICRC, which monitors closely the situation and welfare of all prisoners in Afghanistan.
§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Afghans are under training to form an Afghan National Army. [100987]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienSeven battalions of between 300 and 600 men each have so far completed initial training. Five of these are currently engaged in continuation training or preparing for operations. An eighth battalion is half way through its initial training course.
§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans exist for the(a) decommissioning of weapons and (b) demobilisation of men in the private armies of Afghan warlords. [100988]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienAt a conference on Afghanistan held in Tokyo on 22 February, President Karzai said that he intended to announce the start date for a programme of demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration of former combatants on 21 March. The programme involves establishing disarmament centres for the collection of weapons and holding former combatants in transit centres. The former combatants will then either be selected for Afghan National Army training or transferred to a second stage that will provide education, vocational training or work programmes. This will be financed from a UN Trust Fund to which the UK has pledged US$3.5 million.
§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Afghan police officers have been trained as part of the international community's commitment to rebuild Afghanistan. [100989]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienApproximately 2,500 students, including 60 women, are under training in the recently refurbished police academy in Kabul. A further 60 Afghan police instructors have been trained by Germany, which coordinates international assistance on police reform. Some training has also been carried out in India. The UK ran a two week training course in Kabul in January for five senior Afghan police officers, two of whom are now under training at the International Police College in the UK.