Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions the Government has had with HSBC and other UK linked financial institutions about reports that BN(O) status holders are being denied access to their pension savings in Hong Kong when they leave.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
This government is deeply committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK. We are aware that individuals who have chosen to take up the British National (Overseas) route are having difficulties accessing their Mandatory Provident Fund.
As documentary requirements for withdrawing funds are a matter for the Hong Kong authorities, officials have raised this issue directly with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Hong Kong MPF Schemes Authority. We have urged them to facilitate early draw down of funds as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently and have made clear such discrimination of BN(O)s is unacceptable.
We will continue to raise the issue with the relevant authorities and work towards a solution.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what transitional protections are planned to be put in place for BN(O) applicants, dependants and children reaching 5 years’ residence from 2026 so they are not disadvantaged compared with the expectations when they entered the route.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, will raise the standard qualifying period for settlement from five years to ten years.
The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK. BN(O) visa holders will attract a five-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after five years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.
As part of the earned settlement model, we are proposing a series of tests that will measure a person’s contribution to this country and either reduce or increase the amount of time to settlement. This will include work undertaken by the individual. This earned settlement model and the tests which measure contribution are currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.
The consultation also seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement and we will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers.
Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following the close of that consultation. In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the government will ensure that any changes to BN(O) and wider settlement rules are matched by a plan to boost domestic skills and fill vacancies in the NHS and wider economy.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, will raise the standard qualifying period for settlement from five years to ten years.
The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK. BN(O) visa holders will attract a five-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after five years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.
As part of the earned settlement model, we are proposing a series of tests that will measure a person’s contribution to this country and either reduce or increase the amount of time to settlement. This will include work undertaken by the individual. This earned settlement model and the tests which measure contribution are currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.
The consultation also seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement and we will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers.
Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following the close of that consultation. In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the proposed earned settlement system will apply to Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders and their families; and whether new income, compliance or conduct requirements could extend the qualifying period or make some of those visa holders ineligible for settlement, particularly those with low or no taxable earnings, prior use of public funds or minor immigration breaches.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, will raise the standard qualifying period for settlement from five years to ten years.
The Government remains steadfast in its support for members of the Hong Kong community in the UK. BN(O) visa holders will attract a five-year reduction in the qualifying period for settlement, meaning they will continue to be able to settle in the UK after five years’ residence, subject to meeting the mandatory requirements.
As part of the earned settlement model, we are proposing a series of tests that will measure a person’s contribution to this country and either reduce or increase the amount of time to settlement. This will include work undertaken by the individual. This earned settlement model and the tests which measure contribution are currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.
The consultation also seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement and we will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers.
Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following the close of that consultation. In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the humanitarian and mental health impact of asylum delays for Hong Kongers fleeing political persecution; and what steps the Government will take to ensure their claims are processed swiftly.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office takes safeguarding issues extremely seriously. Protecting vulnerable people is a key cross-cutting departmental priority.
We recognise that that all asylum seekers are potentially vulnerable. During the asylum decision making process we aim to ensure that particularly vulnerable claimants are identified and that they are given help in accessing appropriate services.
A claimant or their legal representative can also request their case is prioritised by emailing or writing to the relevant decision-making unit responsible for their claim.
Individual claims may be prioritised on a case-by-case basis due to exceptional and compelling circumstances. Please see Case by case prioritisation on GOV.UK for further information about how individual asylum claims may be prioritised.
The Home Office continues to invest in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives, including innovative tooling to speed up decision-making, reduce the time people spend in the asylum system.
The number of people awaiting an initial decision as of September 2025 is down 54% from the peak in June 2023, and we continue to make good progress. This shows that the steps we have already taken to streamline the asylum process and increase our efficiency are paying off and is an important achievement in building an asylum system that is efficient, sustainable and flexible.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the consultation entitled Earned settlement, published on 20 November 2025, whether it is her policy that the salary scale should apply to British National (Overseas) applicants.
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 which include contributing to the Exchequer.
We are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation.
In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessments of the potential impact of approving a new Chines embassy on Hong Kongers in the UK.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The decision on whether or not to approve planning permission for the proposed Chinese Embassy site at the Royal Mint Court is an independent one for the Secretary of State for the Ministry for Housing, Communities, and Local Government in his quasi-judicial role.
Protecting the public and our national security has been the key priority for the Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office during the planning process. We have made this clear in public representations to the inquiry throughout. The Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary confirmed in their 27 November representation to the planning enquiry that the public safety and national security concerns raised in previous representations have been addressed.
This Government stands with members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and will continue to support them. Any attempt by China or any other foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated. Wherever we identify such threats, we will use any and all measures, including through our world-class intelligence services, to mitigate risk to individuals.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the Government will call for the removal of bounties placed on Hong Kong democracy activists living in the UK during the proposed trips to Beijing.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Prime Minister's travel will be confirmed in the usual way.
This Government is taking a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. We will co-operate where we can and challenge where we must.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make planning permission for China’s new embassy contingent on the release of political prisoners in Hong Kong.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 14 July 2025 in response to Question 65869.
Asked by: Susan Murray (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposals in the consultation paper entitled A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: statement and accompanying consultation on earned settlement, published on 28 November 2025, on (a) the number of Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa holders eligible for indefinite leave to remain and (b) the time taken to qualify for settlement; and whether she plans to publish an impact assessment on the proposed English language level B2 requirement and a contribution to the Exchequer criteria.
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 are seeking views on earned settlement through the public consultation A Fairer Pathway to Settlement and will continue to listen to the views of Hong Kongers. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following that consultation. An impact assessment will be developed alongside the finalised policy and published in due course.
In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the BN(O) route will continue to apply.