Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department is providing to the Venezuelan government on tackling criminal gangs in Caracas.

The UK Government does not provide any support to tackle criminal gangs in Caracas. The UK does work with countries in the region to combat organised crime groups. In my statement at the UN Security Council on 11 January, I [Minister Rutley] welcomed Colombian Government-led efforts to secure a ceasefire with armed groups, many of which are fighting for control of illicit economies, including illegal mining in Venezuela which has become an important source of revenue for criminal gangs.