HALSTEAD’S MP has said the Government owes a “debt of honour” to Afghan nationals who helped the UK.

Middle East minister and Braintree MP James Cleverly said the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy will now help to facilitate their evacuation from Afghanistan.

He added: “The UK Government takes incredibly seriously the debt of honour we owe to those brave Afghans who are in danger because of their support for our work in the country.

“The support from ourselves and indeed the wider international community will be contingent on them [the Taliban] behaving in a way they have said they intend to do.

“We will always base our decisions on Afghanistan on the facts on the ground, not just from the words of Taliban spokespeople.”

It comes as the Government revealed more than 900 people have left the war-torn country for the UK in the weeks since the final British military flight departed Afghanistan in August.

Following calls from Alliance MP Stephen Farry for ministers to provide “full transparency” on the Afghanistan evacuation effort, Mr Cleverly provided a host of statistics.

“Since August 28, more than 500 more individuals eligible to come to the UK have been able to leave Afghanistan, as well as more than 400 British nationals and their dependents,” said Mr Cleverly.

“We have assisted more than 135 British nationals and their dependents to leave Afghanistan on Qatar-chartered flights.

“The total number of people who may be eligible is almost impossible for us to assess with clarity.”