Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what role UK intelligence partnerships are playing in helping to identify and disrupt organised crime associated with the Venezuelan regime.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The National Crime Agency leads the UK response to SOC. NCA has a network of International Liaison Officers who work with relevant partners globally to disrupt SOC affecting the UK.
The NCA also hosts other functions on behalf of the UK including its relationships into Interpol and Europol. To protect operational security the NCA does not comment on specifics of international partnerships but can confirm it has a previous history of working with Venezuelan partners to tackle SOC. All NCA activity is conducted in accordance with UK and international law.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Venezuelan-origin money laundering on UK financial institutions; and what steps are being taken to help tackle it.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government keeps its assessment of money laundering risks, including those linked to high‑risk jurisdictions, under regular review. The most recent UK National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing was published in 2025.
The UK operates a robust, risk‑based anti‑money laundering regime, underpinned by the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, which applies to all illicit funds regardless of country of origin. These Regulations ensure that those sectors most at risk of being abused for money laundering have appropriate risk-based controls in place. The Financial Action Taskforce has added Venezuela to the list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring which means the UK treats Venezuela‑linked activity as higher risk. UK firms are expected to factor this into the way they conduct their compliance activity in line with these obligations.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her counterpart in Venezuela on the (a) vandalism of the Cuasia Church and (b) death threats issued towards Fr. Juan Manuel León.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Protecting the Freedom of Religion or Belief is an important objective for the UK all over the world. As part of our efforts to press for a peaceful, democratic transition in Venezuela, we will reinforce the importance of ensuring that the rights of all Venezuelans are upheld, including members of the church.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of levels of authoritarian state support for the Maduro regime on the rules-based international order.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I thank the Rt Hon Member for her series of questions on the situation in Venezuela. For the most recent statement of the UK's position, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on 5 January, and her responses in the subsequent debate. We will keep the House updated on developments in the normal way in due course.
Specifically on the issue of Guyana's sovereignty, I refer her to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103713; on the issue of sanctions, I remind her that it has been the long-standing position under successive governments not to discuss potential designations, as to do so would undermine their effectiveness; and on the issue of drug-trafficking, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 3 December.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Department is taking to help tackle destabilising activity by states supporting the Maduro regime.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I thank the Rt Hon Member for her series of questions on the situation in Venezuela. For the most recent statement of the UK's position, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on 5 January, and her responses in the subsequent debate. We will keep the House updated on developments in the normal way in due course.
Specifically on the issue of Guyana's sovereignty, I refer her to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103713; on the issue of sanctions, I remind her that it has been the long-standing position under successive governments not to discuss potential designations, as to do so would undermine their effectiveness; and on the issue of drug-trafficking, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 3 December.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what work her Department is undertaking with the Home Office and INTERPOL to tackle criminal networks linked to the Venezuelan regime.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I thank the Rt Hon Member for her series of questions on the situation in Venezuela. For the most recent statement of the UK's position, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on 5 January, and her responses in the subsequent debate. We will keep the House updated on developments in the normal way in due course.
Specifically on the issue of Guyana's sovereignty, I refer her to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103713; on the issue of sanctions, I remind her that it has been the long-standing position under successive governments not to discuss potential designations, as to do so would undermine their effectiveness; and on the issue of drug-trafficking, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 3 December.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with CARICOM partners in response to Venezuelan actions towards Guyana.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I thank the Rt Hon Member for her series of questions on the situation in Venezuela. For the most recent statement of the UK's position, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on 5 January, and her responses in the subsequent debate. We will keep the House updated on developments in the normal way in due course.
Specifically on the issue of Guyana's sovereignty, I refer her to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103713; on the issue of sanctions, I remind her that it has been the long-standing position under successive governments not to discuss potential designations, as to do so would undermine their effectiveness; and on the issue of drug-trafficking, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 3 December.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps are being taken to disrupt drug flows originating from Venezuela into the UK.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I thank the Rt Hon Member for her series of questions on the situation in Venezuela. For the most recent statement of the UK's position, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on 5 January, and her responses in the subsequent debate. We will keep the House updated on developments in the normal way in due course.
Specifically on the issue of Guyana's sovereignty, I refer her to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103713; on the issue of sanctions, I remind her that it has been the long-standing position under successive governments not to discuss potential designations, as to do so would undermine their effectiveness; and on the issue of drug-trafficking, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 3 December.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support the Department is providing to Guyana in response Venezuelan actions in the region.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I thank the Rt Hon Member for her series of questions on the situation in Venezuela. For the most recent statement of the UK's position, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on 5 January, and her responses in the subsequent debate. We will keep the House updated on developments in the normal way in due course.
Specifically on the issue of Guyana's sovereignty, I refer her to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103713; on the issue of sanctions, I remind her that it has been the long-standing position under successive governments not to discuss potential designations, as to do so would undermine their effectiveness; and on the issue of drug-trafficking, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 3 December.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Department is taking with international partners to support a peaceful and democratic transition in Venezuela.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I thank the Rt Hon Member for her series of questions on the situation in Venezuela. For the most recent statement of the UK's position, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on 5 January, and her responses in the subsequent debate. We will keep the House updated on developments in the normal way in due course.
Specifically on the issue of Guyana's sovereignty, I refer her to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 103713; on the issue of sanctions, I remind her that it has been the long-standing position under successive governments not to discuss potential designations, as to do so would undermine their effectiveness; and on the issue of drug-trafficking, I refer the Rt Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 3 December.