Since President Sirisena came to power in January 2015, there have been welcome moves to return some military occupied private land to civilians. However, much remains to be done.

We continue to encourage further land returns, a process the UK is contributing to through our support for demining in the north of the country. During my visit to Sri Lanka on 14 to 17 January I met with resettled families in the north seeing for myself the progress that has been made as well as the challenges that remain.

The former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) visited Colombia in February this year and discussed business and human rights in his meetings with President Santos, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Trade and with civil society. We have a strong partnership with the government of Colombia on implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, in the context of the November 2011 Joint Declaration on Human Rights. I had a substantive discussion with the Deputy Foreign Minister regarding these matters during my visit to Bogota in June.

The Ambassador and Embassy team regularly meet representatives of Civil Society to hear their concerns about human rights in Colombia, including business behaviour. If British firms are involved we raise issues with them as appropriate. The team in Bogota also meets with British companies and encourages adherence to best practice and global standards in their operations.

The UK continues to work closely with the Colombian Government on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, in line with our commitment to working for widespread international uptake.

British embassy officials in Bogota have met with the Government, civil society and business in Colombia on various occasions to discuss the UK Action plan on business and human rights. Last year, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office funded a project to assist Colombia in drafting its own national policy on Human Rights. This contributed to the Colombian public policy on Business and Human Rights which has been formed as a result of consultation across 33 regions and involving over 19,000 people.

During my recent visit to Colombia from 25 to 27 June, I met two Deputy Ministers for Foreign Affairs and heads of the Colombian Government’s major human rights agencies. This included the National Protection Unit. I raised the safety of Colombian land restitution claimants. Prior to, and during my visit, I was briefed on this issue by leading international and Colombian non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

While security for claimants and those returning to their land remains a key concern, our 2013 Human Rights Report (released on 10 April 2014) notes that progress has been made on the issue of land restitution. Between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2013, over

200,000 victims received reparations under the Victims and Land Restitution law. By the end of 2013, there were 54,063 registered land restitution claims.

During my recent visit to Colombia from 25 to 27 June 2014, I met two Deputy Ministers for Foreign Affairs and heads of the Colombian Government’s major human rights agencies. This included the National Protection Unit: the Government body that coordinates the protection of at risk groups and individuals in Colombia. I set out HM Government concern about the reported rise in attacks against human rights defenders and cases of impunity for those responsible.

While in Bogotá, I also met representatives from six human rights organisations, including Oxfam and Christian Aid as well as Colombian non-governmental organisations (NGOs.)

I visited Cambodia on 30-31 January. While there I met the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian Foreign Minister, Hor Namhong. I raised our concerns about the disproportionate force used by the Cambodian security forces to disperse protests in Phnom Penh on 2-3 January and pressed the Government to address allegations of human rights abuses. I encouraged dialogue between the Government and opposition to resolve the current political impasse and stressed the importance of democratic freedoms and stability for Cambodia's long-term future. These

issues, including land concessions, were also raised by the UK at the recent UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review of Cambodia.

The Prime Minister raised land rights and reducing the military presence in the North of Sri Lanka during a meeting with the President, Mr Rajapaska, during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November. Our High Commission in Colombo has also raised the need to resolve land disputes through a fair and accountable process with Sri Lankan Government.

Land rights are an issue of concern in many post conflict situations involving internally displaced people or refugees. In Sri Lanka, multiple displacements of different groups and individuals have occurred over many years resulting in competing claims on the same land. Our most recent Human Rights Report highlights that there are increased reports of land takeovers in Tamil areas. The Sri Lankan Government have recently given assurances that the military would return some private land in the north within the next few months.

We are aware of reports in February of land confiscation in Burma. During his visit to Burma in February, Mr Tomas Ojea Quintana, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Burma, noted the potential for development projects to have a detrimental effect on the human rights of the people of Burma through land confiscation and forced eviction.

Neither the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), nor I have to date raised the specific issue of land confiscation with the Burmese Government. But since the suspension of EU sanctions in April 2012, the British Government has encouraged responsible trade and investment in support of Burma's democratic reform process. The British Government has provided funds to support the

implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, through which civil society and community leaders engaged in decisions over investments in the natural resources and extractives sectors.

Since the suspension of EU sanctions in April 2012, the British Government has encouraged responsible trade and investment in support of Burma's democratic reform process. The British Government

has provided funds to support the implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in Burma, through which civil society and community leaders will be engaged in decisions over investments in the natural resources and extractives sectors.

Neither the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), nor I have to date raised the specific issue of land confiscation with the Burmese Government.

We are aware of reports concerning the risks of land confiscation in Burma. During his recent visit to Burma this month Mr Tomas Ojea Quintana, the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Burma, reported the potential for development projects to have a detrimental effect on the human rights of the people of Burma through land confiscation and forced eviction.

Since the suspension of EU sanctions in April 2012, the British Government has promoted responsible trade and investment in support of Burma's democratic reform process. The British Government urges all UK companies entering Burma to abide by international standards of corporate governance and social and environmental responsibility. In particular, this means adhering to the OECD guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the UN's Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

We are aware of reports concerning the risks of land confiscation in Burma. During his recent visit to Burma this month Mr Tomas Ojea Quintana, the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Burma, reported the potential for development projects to have a detrimental effect on the human rights of the people of Burma through land confiscation and forced eviction.

Since the suspension of EU sanctions in April 2012, the British Government has promoted responsible trade and investment in support of Burma's democratic reform process. The British Government urges all UK companies entering Burma to abide by international standards of corporate governance and social and environmental responsibility. In particular, this means adhering to the OECD guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the UN's Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.