Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministerial Statement

UK Support for Aid Workers and the Afghan People

10 March 2022 · 4 other contributors

Opened by Sarah Champion Lab Rotherham

ImmigrationUkraineForeign Affairs

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Sarah Champion raised concerns about uk support for aid workers and the afghan people in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • The Select Committee on International Development published a report on the impact of the Afghanistan withdrawal on the humanitarian situation.
  • The rapid Taliban takeover left millions of Afghans in humanitarian jeopardy, with over half the population needing assistance and facing acute hunger.
  • The committee criticised the government's immigration schemes for Afghan aid workers seeking safe passage.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Government Statement

Sarah Champion

The Select Committee on International Development published a report focusing on the impact of the Afghanistan withdrawal on the humanitarian situation, aid organisations' operations and workers, and how to prevent similar issues in future crises. The rapid Taliban takeover left millions in humanitarian jeopardy with over half the population needing assistance and facing acute hunger. The committee criticised the government's immigration schemes for Afghan aid workers seeking safe passage to the UK, urging acceleration of the resettlement scheme pathways for aid sector staff. Concerns were raised about Ukraine, fearing a similar approach might be adopted by the UK Government in their response. The report highlighted issues like international sanctions affecting humanitarian assistance and the slow disbursement of pledged aid. It urged the government to take swift action on mitigating sanctions' impacts, pressing for UN Security Council resolutions, and releasing frozen funds from the Afghanistan reconstruction trust fund.

Other contributors (4)
  • James Sunderland

    Question

    Asked about the duty of care towards aid workers, highlighting that while contracts do not specify a direct duty of care, there is a moral obligation given their role as UK representatives.

    Minister reply

    Agreed that while government contracts with NGOs do not directly stipulate a personnel-type duty of care, they have a clear moral responsibility towards these workers who act on behalf of the UK Government.

  • Lyn Brown

    Question

    Highlighted full contingency plans' necessity for Ukraine and monthly updates on aid disbursal to Afghanistan. Raised concerns over bureaucratic hurdles holding up $1 billion committed through the Afghanistan reconstruction trust fund, urging a dedicated Minister for aid.

    Minister reply

    Agreed with all points raised by Hon. Friend Lyn Brown, emphasising difficulties in obtaining information about disbursed funds and hoping for government action on transparency.

  • Chris Law SNP Dundee Central

    Question

    As a fellow member of the Committee, I hope it has been made crystal clear to the Government what needs to be done. The report not least gives further credence to what we already know, which is that this Government have seriously and regrettably let down the people of Afghanistan. During oral evidence, the Committee heard that Afghan women were suffering disproportionately throughout the crisis, and the report recommends that the UK Government seek 'to ensure that the rights of women and girls are respected by the Taliban', yet this week we learned from the FCDO’s own equalities impact assessment that the scale of reductions to specific gender interventions will impact efforts to advance gender equality, with a reduction of 75% for violence against women and girls bilateral programming being just one example. Is that not a stark illustration that these cuts need to be reversed immediately and that there needs to be a Secretary of State for international development, or at the very least a Minister dedicated to the role, to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable in our societies are properly represented and advocated for by this Government?

    Minister reply

    I am very grateful to the hon. Gentleman, my fellow Committee member, and I fully agree with all his points. I think he would share how painful it was to hear from those women and girls during our evidence gathering, and in particular the pleas from the Afghan judges—they put their faith in us, and we let them down.

Shadow Comment

James Sunderland

Asked about the duty of care towards aid workers, highlighting that while contracts do not specify a direct duty of care, there is a moral obligation given their role as UK representatives. Emphasised the need for full contingency plans in Ukraine and for monthly updates on aid disbursal to Afghanistan.

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