Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the prevalence of Colombian paramilitary involvement with the police and the armed forces of that country.

The British Embassy in Bogota receives regular reporting on the security and human rights situation in Colombia from a range of sources. This includes allegations of links between paramilitaries and the public forces but not information on the prevalence of the problem.

President Santos' government is making a genuine effort to improve respect for human rights in Colombia. Since 2008 the Colombian armed forces have introduced a widespread programme to promote respect for human rights. The UN has helped the Colombian Ministry of Defence to introduce reforms in the army for the last five years and all soldiers receive mandatory training on human rights.