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Afghanistan: UK Deployments

My right honourable friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Adam Ingram) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. As previously announced by the Prime Minister (Official Report, Commons, 30/6/04, col. 286), the United Kingdom is committed to deploying the Headquarters Group of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps to lead the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from May 2006 to February 2007. In addition, the Secretary of State for Defence has previously informed the House (Official Report, Commons, 7/7/05, col. 479) of preliminary plans to support the expansion of ISAF by establishing a British-led provincial reconstruction team in the province of Helmand, in southern Afghanistan. The aim of both would be to help restore Afghanistan as a secure and stable state and prevent the country again becoming a haven for global terrorists. The ISAF is led by NATO, which is planning the expansion of the ISAF into the south and east of Afghanistan. Once those plans mature, individual allies, including the United Kingdom, will be able to take final decisions on deployment and on the nature of the capabilities that may be required. In advance of that, however, it is sensible to begin British preparations for a potential deployment. These are necessarily based on national planning assumptions that may need to be adapted in the light of NATO's conclusions and the final positions taken by individual allies and partners, including the UK. In the first instance, the tempo of work to prepare the ground in Helmand for a possible British deployment is being increased. Those activities are initially likely to involve some 250 troops. Preparations are also under way in the United Kingdom. Some units, predominantly drawn from 16 Air Assault Brigade and the Joint Helicopter Command, will shortly commence collective training on a contingency basis. Similarly, the procurement of certain equipment enhancements that may be needed for a deployment of this nature is under way. These necessary measures are prudent military preparations for a possible future deployment. They do not mean that these units or capabilities will be committed to southern Afghanistan in 2006. No final decisions have yet been made. Should the United Kingdom decide to commit additional forces to the ISAF in 2006, a full statement will then be made to the House as soon as possible.