Asked by: Connor Rand (Labour - Altrincham and Sale West)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will review the assumption of judicial independence used to recognize civil judgments from Hong Kong, in light of the National Security Law and other developments.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Decisions about recognition of foreign judgments are made by the UK’s independent judiciary, with safeguards against recognition and enforcement being available.
There are various grounds on which a judge may refuse to recognise or enforce a foreign judgment, including for example where the foreign court acted without jurisdiction, the proceedings involved a breach of natural justice, or recognition would be contrary to public policy.
The Government engages regularly with the judiciary and stakeholders about the operation of frameworks for recognition and enforcement.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of applying the proposed immigration reforms to BNO visa holders who are already registered to vote on the electorate.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.
We sought views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, which was open between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. We will now carefully review and analyse all responses received and the findings will support the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures. Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.
Economic and equality impact assessments will be conducted on the final model and will consider the impacts on different groups and will be published in due course.
In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether an assessment has been made of the potential disproportionate impact on the ability of female British National (Overseas) visa holders with childcare responsibilities to attain settlement, should the new income requirement under the earned settlement model be imposed.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.
BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.
We sought views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, which was open between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. We will now carefully review and analyse all responses received, and the findings will support the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures. Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.
Economic and equality impact assessments will be conducted on the final model. They will consider the impacts on different groups and, will be published in due course.
In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any estimate has been made on the number of British National (Overseas) visa holders who will not meet the new proposed income requirements due to being in full-time education within the three-year period before they are due to apply for settlement.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.
BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.
We sought views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, which was open between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. We will now carefully review and analyse all responses received, and the findings will support the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures. Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.
Economic and equality impact assessments will be conducted on the final model. They will consider the impacts on different groups and, will be published in due course.
In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate has been made of the number of British National (Overseas) visa holders who will not meet the new proposed income requirements due to retirement, early or otherwise.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.
BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.
We sought views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, which was open between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. We will now carefully review and analyse all responses received, and the findings will support the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures. Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.
Economic and equality impact assessments will be conducted on the final model. They will consider the impacts on different groups and, will be published in due course.
In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her department has made on the number of children on the British National (Overseas) visa who would face delays in attaining settled status due to their parents’ inability to meet new proposed income and language mandatory criteria for indefinite leave to remain.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK.
BN(O) visa holders will attract a 5-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after 5 years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.
We sought views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, which was open between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. We will now carefully review and analyse all responses received and the findings will support the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures. Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.
Economic and equality impact assessments will be conducted on the final model and will consider the impacts on different groups, including children where relevant, and will be published in due course.
In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: Mark Sewards (Labour - Leeds South West and Morley)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what additional resources his Department has allocated to domestic enforcement bodies to (a) investigate and (b) prosecute sanctions evasion involving dual-use technologies exported to Russia through Hong Kong.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has invested in strengthening trade sanctions enforcement capacity. The Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) was established in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) in October 2024. Alongside specialist investigative capacity, OTSI is equipped with powers to enforce sanctions breaches involving the movement of goods and technology via third countries. His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for enforcing export controls and trade sanctions at the UK border.
HMRC has also strengthened its investigative capabilities in this area. DBT and HMRC work closely together to investigate potential sanctions evasion and enforce breaches.
Asked by: Meg Hillier (Labour (Co-op) - Hackney South and Shoreditch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will take steps to support Isabel Rose in Hong Kong.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I recognise how distressing it must be for Ms Rose, who has been unable to leave Hong Kong since 2024, and who has now been found guilty of the charges against her. We have provided consular assistance since Ms Rose's initial arrest, signposted her to local support groups, and officers from the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong attended her court hearing on 3 March. We will continue to provide assistance to her and her family while she awaits sentencing in July. We are in touch with the Hong Kong authorities.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities following the conviction of the father of US-based activist Anna Kwok; what assessment she has made of the potential implications of this case for the risk of reprisals against the family members of Hong Kong activists living overseas; and what steps the Government is taking with international partners to deter further such actions.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK closely monitored the trial of Kwok Yin-sang, and British diplomats attended his verdict on 11 February. This Government will not tolerate any attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass, or harm their critics overseas. We have raised our concerns regarding the Hong Kong Police's use of arrest warrants and bounties directly with the Hong Kong authorities, and officials engage frequently with like-minded international partners about these issues.
Asked by: Mark Sewards (Labour - Leeds South West and Morley)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to enhance due diligence obligations on exporters of dual-use goods to help prevent diversion through Hong Kong.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK has introduced extensive trade sanctions to prevent Russia acquiring dual‑use items used in its military operations. Since March 2022, we have banned the export of all dual‑use goods and other high‑risk technologies, including products identified on the battlefield and items critical to Russia’s military‑industrial complex.
Our comprehensive export sanctions have led Russia to pursue convoluted and costly routes to circumvent our measures via third-country intermediaries. Alongside extensive guidance and outreach to UK exporters on appropriate due diligence, we plan to bring forward secondary legislation to introduce new sanctions end-use controls. These new powers would require exporters to apply for a licence for specific exports identified to be at a high risk of diversion to a sanctioned destination.