Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has assessed whether future UK trade or investment engagement involving Hong Kong should take account of reported prison conditions and maltreatment of political prisoners.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong’s prisons are deeply concerning. The Government continues to express serious concerns about the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, including the implications of recent national security measures, and monitors associated human‑rights risks as part of its wider policy approach. The UK regularly reviews its Overseas Business Risk information for UK businesses trading overseas, which makes clear to UK companies the risks of operating in certain regions and urges them to conduct appropriate due diligence when making business decisions.
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, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for UK policy towards Hong Kong of reports of restrictions on visits, legal access, religious practice and correspondence for political prisoners.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
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, whether she has made representations to the Hong Kong authorities on reported medical neglect, including delays in treatment and denial of prescription medication, to political prisoners in Hong Kong.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
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, whether she has raised with the Chinese government reports that political prisoners in Hong Kong are being subjected to political indoctrination and so-called deradicalisation programmes.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
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, whether her Department plans to publish updated guidance on prison conditions and the treatment of political prisoners in Hong Kong in its next Six-Monthly Report.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
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, whether she has discussed with international partners the potential merits of coordinated action in response to reported human rights abuses in Hong Kong prisons.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Treasury has held discussions with international partners on the use of sanctions in response to reported serious human rights abuses in Hong Kong prisons.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is responsible for overall policy and the development of sanctions measures, and the UK’s response to international human rights abuses. This includes sanctions under the UK’s Global Human Rights sanctions regime.
HM Treasury has regular discussions with international partners on a range of multilateral issues.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has undertaken any assessment of the risk that UK firms could be linked through supply chains to surveillance, security or prison-related technology used in Hong Kong’s correctional system against political prisoners.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government continues to highlight concerns about the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong in public statements, and monitors associated risks through wider human‑rights and supply‑chain due‑diligence policies. UK businesses are guided by NCSC supply‑chain security principles to identify and manage risks in complex supply chains. The UK operates a comprehensive regulatory framework for strategic export controls, which prevents the export of goods where there is a risk to domestic security, international security, or human rights.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued on whether the BNO partners and dependents can apply for ILR with the main applicant before they become eligible, in circumstances where BNO partners and dependents have later BNO visa expiration dates than the main BNO status holder.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The published guidance for BN(O) visa holders and their family members wishing to settle in the UK is published at: British National (Overseas) visa: Settle in the UK - GOV.UK.
The relevant guidance for caseworkers is available at: Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (BNO) route: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued on whether BNO partners and dependents can apply for ILR before the main BNO status holder becomes eligible, in circumstances where BNO partners and dependents have earlier BNO visa expiration dates than the main BNO status holder in their family.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The published guidance for BN(O) visa holders and their family members wishing to settle in the UK is published at: British National (Overseas) visa: Settle in the UK - GOV.UK.
The relevant guidance for caseworkers is available at: Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (BNO) route: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK.