To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department began to keep for monitoring purposes a record of Colombian security force personnel who have received UK training in Colombia. (282493)

Our embassy at Bogota has records of Colombian Security Forces who have received direct UK training in Colombia from 2000-01. This framing includes that required to counter the illegal drugs trade. We do not disclose the details of this engagement as to do so would compromise operational effectiveness and endanger the lives of British and Colombian staff involved. Our engagement is carefully maintained to ensure that it cannot contribute to any human rights abuses.