To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Colombian Government on the fulfilment of the Colombian Supreme Court decision of May 2002 on the reconstruction of the village of Tabaco. (133532)

[holding answer 24 April 2007]: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials met with members of the Tabaco community in London on 30 January. Their concerns included claims of being forcibly displaced, lack of compensation and damage to the environment regarding the Cerrejon Mine. Since then we have made inquiries with Cerrejon both in London and Colombia.

Our embassy in Bogota has raised the communities’ concerns with the office of the Vice President of the Government of Colombia. We will continue to raise with the Government of Colombia the importance we attach to adherence to socially responsible business practices by extractive companies around the world.