Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Afghanistan: Inquiry into UK Withdrawal

Monday 15 November 2021 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Ministry of Defence has conducted extensive lessons-learned exercises following Op Pitting and the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
  • The Minister stated that Op Pitting was an extraordinarily successful military operation.
  • The hon. Member Dave Doogan noted the need for an inquiry into why France was better prepared to evacuate supporting Afghans and their families.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Kirsten Oswald SNP
Defence
Context

The question arises from concerns over the merits and need for an independent inquiry into the UK's withdrawal from Afghanistan, following extensive scrutiny by various government bodies.

Question

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of an independent inquiry into the UK withdrawal of personnel from Afghanistan. The Ministry of Defence has conducted lessons-learned exercises post Op Pitting and on decisions to withdraw from Afghanistan, but there is a need for clarity through an independent review given ongoing Government inquiries.

Answer from James Heappey

The Ministry of Defence has carried out extensive and robust lessons-learned exercises in response to events in Afghanistan, including for Op Pitting, the non-combatant evacuation operation. Lessons have been recycled into our NEO plans, and numerous inquiries are already underway across Government to scrutinise both withdrawal decisions and the campaign.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The merit of an independent inquiry specifically was not addressed beyond noting existing inquiries.

How: Acknowledging Ongoing Government Inquiries

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Q2 Kirsten Oswald SNP
Defence Brexit Foreign Affairs
Context

The question addresses confusion over the UK's withdrawal from Afghanistan, particularly with differing statements made by former Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister.

Question

Does the Minister accept there is confusion and contradiction in the UK Government's portrayal of the withdrawal from Afghanistan? The hon. Member cites examples such as the former Foreign Secretary stating that the Taliban takeover was “faster than anyone anticipated” while the PM stated it had been clear for months the situation could change quickly.

Answer from James Heappey

The hon. Lady conflates two issues. The Doha agreement signed by President Trump put us in a position where we had to decide between re-engaging the Taliban or leaving this year. As for Op Pitting, I do not recognise her characterisation of what was an extraordinarily successful military operation.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The contradictions themselves were acknowledged but dismissed rather than addressed specifically.

How: Dismissing The Contradiction As Conflating Two Issues

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Q3 James Gray Con
Defence
Context

The question seeks to express gratitude and appreciation for UK armed forces personnel involved in Op Pitting, with a planned event on November 24th.

Question

I very much agree with the Minister that Op Pitting was a superbly successful operation. Members of all parties are invited to welcome soldiers who carried out this brilliant mission at Carriage Gates and Westminster Hall on Wednesday 24 November after Prime Minister's Question Time.

Answer from James Heappey

I did not spot a question in there, but I think that we are all looking forward to that event as much as my hon. Friend.

Not addressed: No substantive response was provided about the merits of Op Pitting or its success.

How: Not Addressing The Question

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Q4 Dave Doogan SNP Angus and Perthshire Glens
Defence Foreign Affairs
Context

The question questions why France was better prepared than the UK to evacuate Afghans who supported French efforts in Afghanistan, suggesting similar intelligence might have been available.

Question

There is no question that the bravery and professionalism of UK armed forces personnel certainly got the Government out of a hole when it came to Op Pitting. One issue needing an inquiry is why France was better prepared in May to evacuate Afghans supporting French efforts, along with their families, 90 days before the fall of Kabul.

Answer from James Heappey

The hon. Gentleman might want to check the date on which Foreign Office advice to leave Afghanistan changed, as it aligned with French timelines. From that moment, a resettlement scheme for moving MOD-entitled civilians out commenced; about 1,500 people were removed before Kabul fell.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The core issue of UK intelligence analysis was not addressed beyond noting the timeline.

How: Focusing On Dates And Timelines Rather Than Analysis

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