Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has launched an investigation into reports that UK police officers asked a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist residing in the UK to sign a memorandum of understanding agreeing to avoid public gatherings.

This Government takes the protection of individuals’ rights, safety and freedoms, including freedom of speech, very seriously. The UK is an open and diverse country and freedom of speech is one of the values that defines us as a society. We are absolutely committed to upholding free speech and legislation is in place to protect this fundamental right.

While we do not comment on individual cases, police will rightly inform individuals if there is any assessed threat to their wellbeing in order to meet duty of care obligations. Memoranda of Understandings can form part of police’s routine approach in this context with officers providing guidance on steps individuals can consider to enhance their personal safety. As with any circumstances, it is up to the individual to decide how they wish to exercise their rights, taking into account the relevant security advice provided.