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Afghanistan

I mentioned in my statement the deployment of support helicopters and, indeed, of four Hercules aeroplanes in theatre. That deployment, along with the other assets that I mentioned, is assessed as appropriate and sufficient, subject always to the findings of the preliminary operations team, which we are sending out in order to gain further information and intelligence about the situation on the ground. As that develops—if there is any change in the configuration—I will speak to the hon. Gentleman. [Interruption.] The hon. Gentleman indicates from a sedentary position that he also referred to the transporting home of soldiers from theatre. It is always a concern to us, given the challenges that we face and the harmony guidelines of which we were speaking earlier, to ensure that when the roulement tour is finished, soldiers get home properly and quickly—subject, always, to conditions on the ground. The Chief of the Air Staff is trying to ensure that that is the case. I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s support for the United Nations auspices under which we operate in Afghanistan. He will not need reminding of the fact that we are now operating under United Nations guidelines—the second resolution—in Iraq as well, and I take his comments as an indication of support there, too.