Written question asked by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton (Conservative) on Friday, 14 November 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 November 2008. It was answered by Douglas Alexander (Labour) on Tuesday, 25 November 2008 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Stabilisation Unit

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development by what means the Stabilisation Unit develops and maintains operating capacity in support of stabilisation operations in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan.

Answer: The Stabilisation Unit primarily delivers through the civilian experts it deploys. It is taking a number of steps to improve its ability to provide high quality experts on as sustainable basis, to Afghanistan, Iraq and other theatres. There are two principal initiatives.First, in August it started a nine month process to improve the quality of its database of civilian experts by turning it from a list of 900 people where most experts have only been subject to a basic paper sift to one where all experts will have been assessed face-to-face against professional and behavioural requirements. This greater understanding will enable the Unit to improve its ability to respond to demands for experts.Second, civilian experts need to be properly prepared to work and live in what can be professionally challenging and austere conditions. The unit is improving its existing training prior to their deployment. By December the unit will complete the design of a more extensive structured, tailored development programme for deploying experts to Afghanistan with implementation on a pilot basis starting in January 2009.

Secondary information