Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Dr Alice Gill Edwards' published on 31 January, regarding the alleged torture of witnesses in the ongoing Hong Kong trial of Jimmy Lai; what discussions they have held with Dr Edwards regarding her remarks; and what discussions they plan to hold with the governments of China and Hong Kong on behalf of the alleged victim.

We are aware of media reports and a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Cruel, Inhumane, Degrading Treatment or Punishment alleging mistreatment of Andy Li while he was detained in mainland China. We take all allegations of torture and mistreatment very seriously and are looking into this further. Article 15 of the Convention against Torture, which China has ratified, prohibits the use of statements established to have been made as a result of torture in court proceedings. Diplomats from our Consulate-General are attending Mr Lai's court proceedings as the trial continues.