Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his Department will provide a formalised commitment to apply for British citizenship on behalf of Hong Kongers on the British National (Overseas) visa scheme to present to (a) HSBC and (b) other UK-based pension providers in the event that they are denied access to their pensions.

The UK firmly opposes the discrimination that British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders are facing in applying for early withdrawal of their pension funds held by the Mandatory Provident Fund in Hong Kong. We have urged the Hong Kong authorities to facilitate the early drawdown of funds as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently and will continue to do so.

After five years in the UK, those on the BN(O) route can apply for settlement, and after a further 12 months, they can apply for full UK citizenship. The Home Office does not have any plans to change the way we grant citizenship to those on the BN(O) route.