Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of reports that the CUT trade union federation’s (a) regional secretary and (b) treasurer in Valle del Cauca, Colombia have received death threats.

We look to the Colombian authorities to investigate fully the threats against all citizens, including trade unionists, and to take appropriate action against those responsible. Through the Integrated Security Fund (ISF), the UK has historically supported the development of protection measures for human rights abuses, working with the Colombian government to strengthen the institutional capacity of the National Protection Unit and civil society organisations involved in the protection of social leaders, including trade unionists. During his visit to Colombia in November, Lord Collins, Minister for Human Rights, met with trade union representatives and other social and political leaders. In our UN Security Council statements, we regularly call on the Colombian government and its institutions to protect social leaders from threats.