Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2014 to Question 211346, in what ways is the issue of human rights closely examined before any military assistance to Colombia is approved; and at what level or rank is this examination conducted.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has clear guidelines in place to ensure that our international obligations are considered and honoured before military assistance to Colombia takes place. This includes carrying out Overseas Security and Justice Assessments (OSJA) where applicable and liaising with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to ensure that MOD's activity is in line with our international obligations. This examination is conducted at various levels and ranks in accordance with the OSJA and departmental policy.