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Afghanistan

My Lords, the Leader of the House has repeated an important Statement on Afghanistan which provides a, "““long-term and comprehensive framework for security, political, social and economic development””." Can the noble Baroness tell us whether, in light of the scope of the Statement, the Government will publish a paper setting out in greater detail the strategy that they envisage under the four headings, or, at least, provide a debate in the House on some of those issues? Many people have said that some of those are optimistic, while some are certainly controversial and relatively untested. My concern is with the increase in support for community defence initiatives. Will the noble Baroness reassure the House that, while community initiatives are very much to be welcomed, community defence initiatives are what in a feudal, male-dominated, authoritarian society led to the rise of the Taliban in the first place? I am sure the noble Baroness is aware that the Taliban first arose as students, pupils and teachers of the ““righteous path”” to civic organisation. This kind of initiative would just give that back in the absence of the entrenchment of the rule of law.