Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Amnesty International report published on 13 May “On my campus, I am afraid": China's Targeting of Overseas Students Stifles Rights; and what action they are taking with allies to protect Chinese and Hong Kong students studying abroad who are subject to intimidation and surveillance from Chinese agents.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government’s International Education Strategy and its recent update make clear that the internationalisation of the higher education (HE) sector cannot come at any cost. Universities must ensure they have appropriate processes in place to manage risk.
The department recognises concerns about overseas interference in the HE sector and regularly assess the risks facing staff and students.
The Integrated Review Refresh, which this government published in March 2023, sets out in clear terms the UK’s policy towards engagement with China and Chinese entities.
Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK, or on campuses abroad, will not be tolerated. This is an insidious threat to democracy and fundamental human rights.
The department passed the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 to further protect the UK’s campuses from interference and other threats to lawful freedom of speech. The Act strengthens existing freedom of speech duties placed upon HE providers in England and creates new routes of redress if these duties are breached.
The department has made the Commencement Regulations to ensure the main provisions of the Act are in place for 1 August 2024.
Where providers are operating campuses abroad, they must take, and should already be taking, reasonably practicable steps to secure freedom of speech within the law on those campuses.
HE providers are independent autonomous organisations and therefore responsible for ensuring they have adequate governance and risk management procedures in place when accepting donations. The department expects the HE sector to be alert to risks when collaborating with any international partners.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to take steps to end the procurement from China of clothing for (a) the SAS, (b) snipers, (c) the Red Arrows and (d) other military units.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what collaborations on medical research are currently taking place between government-funded universities in the UK, and medical and research institutions based in China; and whether any of these collaborations relate to organ transplantation.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The International Science Partnerships Fund and Newton Fund have active medical research programmes involving collaborations between UK Higher Education Institutions and Chinese counterparts. These predominantly focus on antimicrobial resistance and pandemic preparedness and none of them relate to organ transplantation.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of dual allegiance among British citizens who are current or former Hong Kong government officials who hold dual citizenship under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990; and the implications of this for (1) transnational crime, and (2) intimidation of Hong Kong democrats and their families who have fled Hong Kong.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
We do not comment on the detail of security or intelligence matters, however we continually assess potential threats to the UK public, including transnational crime and threats to individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety. Any attempt by any foreign power, or any individuals acting on their behalf, to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated.
Where we identify individuals at heightened risk, we are front footed in deploying protective the full range of tools available to protect them.
The National Security Act 2023 brings together vital new measures to protect our national security and ensure our law enforcement and intelligence agencies have everything they need to respond to the full range of modern-day state threats including those that may emanate from Hong Kong and China.
More broadly, Home Office officials work closely with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and DLUHC, as well as other government departments, to ensure that the UK is a safe and welcoming place for both those who hold BN(O) status and other Hongkongers.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to examine the efficacy of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 in dealing with hostile elements in the United Kingdom who owe political allegiance to the People’s Republic of China and pose a risk to those who have fled Hong Kong; and whether they will consider strengthening the legislation to address these concerns.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated. Where we identify activity that threatens individual's rights, freedoms, and safety we are front footed in deploying all the tools available to us including, where appropriate immigration action, to mitigate this.
As you would expect we keep our legislative framework under constant review and update it where appropriate based on the latest information and intelligence.
The National Security Act 2023 brings together vital new measures to protect our national security and ensure our law enforcement and intelligence agencies have everything they need to respond to the full range of modern-day state threats, including those that may emanate from Hong Kong and China.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will introduce emergency tariffs against Chinese-manufactured electrical motorised vehicles.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt Hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she plans to implement tariffs on vehicles produced in China.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent steps his Department has taken to help protect freedom of religious belief for (a) Christians and (b) other religious minorities in China.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government continues to monitor the persecution of religious groups in China, including Christians. The freedom to practice, change or share one's faith or belief without discrimination is a human right that all people should enjoy.
The space for religious freedom in China continues to deteriorate, for Christians and other religious minorities. For example, recent new Measures on the Administration of Religious Activity Venues legislation includes widespread restrictions on religious practice such as requirements for priests to conduct sermons promoting core socialist values and Xi Jinping Thought.
The British government works with international organisations and networks to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief for all where it is threatened. This includes work through the UN, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Council of Europe, and the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps he has taken to tackle the People’s Republic of China’s security and intelligence network operating in the UK in response to the arrest of three alleged spies.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On Tuesday 14 May, on instruction from the Foreign Secretary, the Chinese Ambassador was summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The FCDO was unequivocal in setting out that the recent pattern of behaviour directed by China against the UK including cyberattacks, reports of espionage links and the issuing of bounties is not acceptable. The summons followed Monday's announcement that three people have been charged with offences under the National Security Act as part of an investigation led by officers from the Met Police's Counter Terrorism Command. The foreign intelligence service to which the charges relate is that of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. As the investigation remains ongoing, we will not comment further in relation to this case.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on freedom of religion in Tibet.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is concerned about human rights violations in Tibet. These include restrictions on freedom of religion or belief and on freedom of assembly and association, reports of forced labour, and reports that boarding schools are being used to assimilate Tibetan children into Han culture.
We consistently raise human rights issues with the Chinese authorities, including in relation to Tibet. I raised human rights during my visit to China in April, and the Foreign Secretary did so in a meeting in February with China's Foreign Minister. We also regularly raise Tibet in multilateral fora, including in January at China's Universal Periodic Review, and in March as part of our Item 4 statement at the United Nations Human Rights Council.