Medical Emergency Response Team (Helmand)

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Defence – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 20 February 2012.

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Photo of Jim Murphy Jim Murphy Shadow Secretary of State for Defence 2:30, 20 February 2012

On Helmand, up until 2 February the UK Government had a clear position in Parliament, in NATO and with the country about a conditions-based withdrawal, and for the medical emergency teams and all our forces to return home and for the Afghan forces to take the lead on security by 2014. On that date the US Secretary of Defence announced a 2013 timetable for Afghan forces to take the lead and within hours the UK Government followed that timeline. What changed on the ground in Afghanistan in that week for the UK Government policy to change so dramatically?