Tuesday Volume 589 2 December 2014 No. 72 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 2 December 2014 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2014 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 135 2 DECEMBER 2014 136 confidence in the peace process, the Colombian Government House of Commons need to go further and faster in reforming their intelligence services? Tuesday 2 December 2014 Mr Swire: I do not think it is for me to give a running commentary on the intelligence services of Colombia. The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock We assist the Colombian Government in our mutual desire to stamp out the drugs trade—we co-operate PRAYERS closely with them on that. A lot of things need to be reformed in Colombia, not least the perception of impunity for the armed forces, but I say again that the big prize is, [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] first, to secure the peace—then the dividend can be cashed in. Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (Lab): Oral Answers to Questions The unlawful killings of innocent people in Colombia continue, as they did even last week. I am delighted that the Minister is arranging a meeting with the ambassador, but may I ask him whether he would invite along the FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE Justice for Colombia all-party group, because the people on it are working at the sharp end and can tell us exactly The Secretary of State was asked— what is happening in Colombia? Colombia Mr Swire: My meeting really should be for Members of both Houses who wish to accompany me, many of 1. Mr Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South) (Lab): What whom are expert advocates for Justice for Colombia. recent support his Department has offered to peace talks in Colombia. [906368] Martin Horwood (Cheltenham) (LD): Last week, I met Irrael Solano, indigenous governor of the Zenú The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth community, who is on a death list of the so-called Office (Mr Hugo Swire): The UK is a prominent supporter “Caribbean coast commando”. At least 60 members of of the peace process and we have regular discussions his community have been assassinated, so he takes that with the Colombian Government. Last month, the Deputy threat very seriously. Will the Government urge the Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK’s commitment when Colombian Government to do whatever they can to President Santos visited London. We are considering protect Señor Solano and other human rights defenders now how the UK can best support the implementation along the Caribbean coast? of any peace agreement, drawing further on our experiences in Northern Ireland. Mr Swire: Indeed, and I think the hon. Gentleman is Mr Sutcliffe: Following the Colombian army’s rampage a perfect candidate to come with me to raise these in a village near Turnaco, in which nine bombs were matters personally with the ambassador in January. We dropped, machine guns were fired at civilians and two are concerned about human rights defenders, as I have young men were shot dead, one of them later by the made clear, including when I was in Bogota. I hope that army as they took him away pleading for his life, with the Colombian Government will realise how keen an the army then dressing the men in FARC uniforms and interest this House takes in both the peace process and claiming they were guerrillas—that incident does not the wider case for justice for all in Colombia. get reported in the world press—is it not right that we have a bilateral ceasefire and not the unilateral ceasefire Mark Durkan (Foyle) (SDLP): The Minister is aware that keeps being offered by FARC? that a number of Northern Ireland Members have engaged both with the Colombian Government and the Mr Swire: The big prize remains the ceasefire with FARC negotiators in Havana. Is he also aware that we FARC, which will benefit all the people of Colombia. I are particularly concerned that the democratic opposition have always been happy to discuss the peace process in Colombia, which is not represented at the negotiations, and human rights with Members of both Houses. In should have its position affirmed because it, along with October, I met at the Foreign and Commonwealth civil society groups, has a key role to play in taking the Office Members from the Parliamentary Friends of peace process forward—a peace process for which it has Colombia, the all-party group on Latin America and fought so long? the all-party group on human rights. I am happy to do that again to discuss these things, and I am also putting Mr Swire: All have a role to play in gaining peace in together a meeting, as I promised, with the Colombian that country, which has been ruined by the civil war ambassador. If the hon. Gentleman wants to come to with FARC. When I was recently in Cuba, as the first the meeting with me, he is more than welcome. British Minister to visit in 10 years, I raised this matter with Cuba, which is playing host to the peace process. I Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin) (Con): Last December, say again that these negotiations with FARC are quite a I visited Colombia, with part of the talks being about long way through and what we need to see is a final reforming the Colombian intelligence services—the DAS. settlement with FARC—we have just seen the release of Does the Minister agree that for there to be public the brigadier general and the others who were taken by 137 Oral Answers2 DECEMBER 2014 Oral Answers 138 FARC within the last month or so. That remains the big needs to be more competitive and more democratically prize and everybody should have a say in the peace that accountable and, crucially, to make it acceptable to the will ensue from that. British people, who, under a Conservative Government, will be the ones who have the last say in 2017. Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab): Land grabs have been a predominant feature of the conflict, and Maria Miller (Basingstoke) (Con): The British people restitution of land is a key part of the peace discussions. should have the final say on the UK’s relationship with With the Government promoting business opportunities the EU, and I applaud the Prime Minister’s approach in Colombia, will the Minister say what guidance they on an in/out referendum. The constituents who contact issue to UK companies on forced displacements and me support a trading partnership with Europe, but not what safeguards they insist on to ensure that the UK is a political union. Will the Secretary of State emphasise not supporting economic projects using illegally acquired the vital importance of trade when discussing the future land? of the UK in the European Union? My constituents who work for major multinational companies Mr Swire: All British companies anywhere in the headquartered in Basingstoke want to know that that is world are issued with guidelines on ethical investment, at the forefront of our negotiations. and those operating in Colombia are no exception. I am delighted that in 2013 we met our £1.75 billion bilateral Mr Hammond: I could not agree more with my right trade and investment target for Colombia two years hon. Friend. Trade is at the heart of the European ahead of schedule. We have now set a revised target of Union. Completing and deepening the single market £4 billion by 2020. Growth stood at 126% from 2009-12. and extending it into the digital, energy and services Ethical investment is important, but so too are investment markets—areas on which we have scarcely scratched the and bilateral trade. We are a Government who believe surface—is the way to deliver economic growth in the that increased trade is the sea on which all ships rise European Union in the future, together with completing together. That benefits all in Colombia, even the poorest. international trade treaties such as the transatlantic trade and investment partnership that will also hugely EU: UK Membership expand our opportunities. 2. Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con): Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston) (Lab): What steps he has taken to prepare for renegotiation of We are not part of the eurozone and neither is Poland. the terms of the UK’s membership of the EU with his Part of a reformed European Union will have to EU counterparts; and if he will make a statement. accommodate those countries that are not part of the [906369] eurozone. When did the Secretary of State last meet his Polish counterpart to discuss what that new architecture 12. Maria Miller (Basingstoke) (Con): What assessment might look like? he has made of the scope for reform of the EU under the new European Commission. [906379] Mr Hammond: I have had a couple of meetings with my new Polish counterpart and had more extensive The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth meetings with the former Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski. Affairs (Mr Philip Hammond): I have already visited I will be going to Brussels later on this afternoon and 10 member states over the past few months to discuss will have the opportunity to meet my Polish counterpart EU reform with my counterparts and others. More and again. What the hon. Lady says is absolutely right. An more leaders across Europe agree that the EU needs to essential emerging feature of the new EU architecture is change.