Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his (a) Guyanese, (b) Colombian and (c) Brazilian counterparts on trends in the number of refugees travelling to those countries from Venezuela.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK remains concerned at the deteriorating situation in Venezuela and the high numbers of Venezuelans who continue to leave the country. The Foreign Secretary regularly discusses the situation in Venezuela with international partners including recently with Brazil, Colombia and Guyana. The UK is a longstanding partner of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which provides life-saving assistance to displaced persons, including refugees from Venezuela.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government why a visa requirement for Columbian nationals travelling to the United Kingdom was reintroduced in November 2024.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
A visit visa requirement for Colombian nationals was reintroduced on 26 November 2024 due to the significant and sustained increase in individuals travelling to the UK for reasons other than those permitted under the Immigration Rules for Visitors following the lifting of the visa requirement in November 2022. In particular, there was a significant increase in Colombian nationals claiming asylum, with more asylum claims in every quarter of 2023 and 2024 than in the entire 10 years preceding the visa lift. Full reasons for the reintroduction of the visa requirement were provided in the Explanatory Memorandum to the changes in the Immigration Rules on 26 November 2024. This also set out details of the visa-free transition period for Colombian nationals holding travel bookings to the UK made prior to the reintroduction of the visa requirement.
Asked by: Baroness Hooper (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what arrangements are in place for Colombian nationals applying for visas to the United Kingdom following the reintroduction of a visa requirement on 26 November 2024.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Colombian nationals who wish to apply for a visa for the UK are able to submit their application and upload their supporting documents online before attending an appointment to provide their biometrics at a Visa Application Centre. Customers can apply for a UK visit visa from any country/territory. Those applying via other routes (e.g. study, work, settlement) may be required to apply in the country/territory in which they are currently living. In Colombia, there are 3 Visa Application Centres operated by VFS Global on behalf of UK Visas and Immigration. These are located in Bogotá and Medellín, which are currently open 5 days per week, and Cali, which is open 2 days per week. Once concluded, the customer may either collect their passport in person or have it shipped directly to them by courier.
The reintroduction of the visit visa requirement on 26 November 2024 was accompanied by a 28-day transition period, which allowed Colombian nationals with confirmed travel bookings made before 15.00 on 26 November 2024 to enter the UK visa-free if their scheduled arrival was before 15.00 on 24 December 2024. A transition period was also implemented for Colombian nationals transiting the UK to an onward destination.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support and funding, if any, they give to Indigenous Women’s Commissions in the various Colombian Indigenous Tribes (1) to support the legal training the commissions offer about sexual and gender-based violence, (2) to train magistrates in the Indigenous Justice System about gender, and (3) to support the work they do with indigenous women and girls, victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Colombia is a priority country for the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Strategy. The UK has supported the Special Jurisdiction for Peace for those documenting cases of sexual violence in conflict. With women's organisations, our support has ensured survivors of sexual violence, including indigenous women, receive justice and support. The UK has also supported Colombia's first Women Peace and Security National Action Plan, ensuring indigenous women's experiences were heard. During his visit to Colombia in November, Lord Collins met civil society and women's organisations to underline UK support.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether their Embassy in Bogotá has been monitoring the return of the displaced Wiwa Indigenous Communities of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia, and what is their assessment of the security in that region for indigenous communities.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We remain concerned at the violence facing the Wiwa community. Embassy officials visited and discussed security concerns with Wiwa communities in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in October 2024, and raised these issues with local authorities, the Ministry of Defence, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace. Supporting Colombia in its commitment to secure a lasting peace is an important priority of this Government. We are working with the Colombian government and other partners to implement the 2016 Peace Agreement, including the Ethnic Chapter. We support the protection of the Wiwa indigenous peoples through our funding of civil society organisations and UN agencies.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether UK aid is being used to address the depletion of important ecosystems in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We remain concerned about the environmental damage from organised crime in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, and Embassy officials have raised this with the Ministry of Environment. Through the Magna Carta Fund, the UK has supported civil society to protect indigenous environmental defenders. This has included the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, where we support protection and judicial mechanisms for environmental defenders, and contribute funding to conservation and restoration schemes to protect fragile ecosystems.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the new visa requirements for Colombian citizens on UK citizens who are intending to return to the UK with children born through surrogacy in Colombia.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The status of British Citizens is not affected by the reintroduction of a visa requirement for Colombian nationals. The new visa requirements introduced on 26 November 2024 relate to visitors and passengers in transit only. The visa requirements for those who intend to settle in the UK or enter for any other reason have not changed. Full consideration was given to the likely impact of the change on Colombian nationals. British Citizens who intend to return to the UK with a child born through surrogacy are advised to seek specialist immigration advice.
Asked by: Katrina Murray (Labour - Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking as UN Security Council penholder for the 2016 Colombian Peace Agreement to maintain international community’s support for implementation of that country’s peace accords.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK has been a leading international advocate for Colombian efforts to implement the 2016 Peace Agreement. The UK acts as penholder for the Colombian peace process at the UN Security Council and supports the important work of the UN Verification Mission, whose mandate the UN Security council renewed in October. Through the Integrated Security Fund (ISF), the UK has historically committed £80 million to support the implementation of the agreement. In partnership with UN agencies and civil society organisations, UK funding has supported rural development and reintegration programmes to strengthen the security of the communities in conflict affected areas. During her visit in November, Baroness Chapman met Foreign Minister Rojas and emphasised the UK's support for the Colombian peace process and 2016 agreement at international forums.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment has he made of the potential impact of the UK-Colombia bilateral agreement for the promotion and protection of investments, published in June 2014, on (a) climate change and (b) human rights.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
I refer the Hon. Member for Ynys Môn to my response to Question 12968 on 12th November 2024.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the UN Secretary General’s response to the Colombian government’s rapid response plan aimed at overcoming delays in implementing the 2016 Peace Agreement.
Answered by Catherine West
We welcomed the Colombian government's announcement of a new rapid response plan for implementation of the 2016 Agreement at the UN Security Council (UNSC) Session in July. In particular, we welcomed its focus on territorial transformation and the appointment of a senior Cabinet Minister responsible for its implementation. We continue to engage with the Colombian government to support them on this. During her visit to Colombia in November, Baroness Chapman met with Interior Minister Cristo to discuss the rapid response plan and reiterated our commitment to implementing the 2016 Peace Agreement. The Foreign Secretary also met with Foreign Minister Murillo in September, to reiterate the UK's commitment towards the peace process in Colombia.