Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart about guarantees for the safety of Colombian land restitution claimants.

During my recent visit to Colombia from 25 to 27 June, I met two Deputy Ministers for Foreign Affairs and heads of the Colombian government's major human rights agencies. This included the National Protection Unit. I raised the safety of Colombian land restitution claimants. Prior to, and during my visit, I was briefed on this issue by leading international and Colombian non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Whilst security for claimants and those returning to their land remains a key concern, our 2013 Human Rights Report (released on 10 April 2014) notes that progress has been made on the issue of land restitution. Between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2013, over 200,000 victims received reparations under the Victims and Land Restitution law. By the end of 2013, there were 54,063 registered land restitution claims.