Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions the UK Government has had with British judges sitting on Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal on the potential effect on the rule of law in Hong Kong in the event that the Government of Hong Kong enact national security legislation.

The UK Government has not held discussions with British judges sitting in Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal regarding the potential effect of the rule of law in Hong Kong in the event that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government enacts national security legislation. Any legislation introduced in Hong Kong should be consistent with both the letter and the spirit of the Joint Declaration and the Hong Kong Basic Law.

The UK Government upholds the fundamental tenet of judicial independence in all jurisdictions, for judges to be able to apply the law of that jurisdiction in accordance with the principles of the rule of law and without interference from the Executive.