Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government with which countries, if any, they (1) plan to have, or (2) are in discussions regarding, arrangements for reciprocal recognition and use of driving licences in both jurisdictions.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Holders of a valid European Union or European Economic Area (EU/EEA) licence can drive in this country using that licence until they reach the age of 70 or for three years, whichever is longer. After this time, they must exchange their EU/EEA licence for a GB one.
Drivers from countries with which there is an agreement for licence exchange can drive here for 12 months before exchanging their foreign licence for a GB one. Driving licence exchange agreements are currently in place with:
Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.
The licensing authority seeking an exchange agreement must provide the information needed to assess whether its driver licensing and testing standards are equivalent to those in GB.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has been approached by the following countries seeking a driving licence exchange agreement: Albania, Argentina, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Georgia, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, San Marino, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Israel and Tunisia. Work on these agreements is in various stages of development.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government why there is not reciprocal recognition of driving licences issued in Israel in the UK; and what steps they are taking, if any, to introduce reciprocal recognition of those licences.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Holders of a valid European Union or European Economic Area (EU/EEA) licence can drive in this country using that licence until they reach the age of 70 or for three years, whichever is longer. After this time, they must exchange their EU/EEA licence for a GB one.
Drivers from countries with which there is an agreement for licence exchange can drive here for 12 months before exchanging their foreign licence for a GB one. Driving licence exchange agreements are currently in place with:
Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.
The licensing authority seeking an exchange agreement must provide the information needed to assess whether its driver licensing and testing standards are equivalent to those in GB.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has been approached by the following countries seeking a driving licence exchange agreement: Albania, Argentina, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Georgia, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, San Marino, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Israel and Tunisia. Work on these agreements is in various stages of development.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government which countries have a reciprocal arrangement with the UK that recognises and permits a driving licence granted in one of the two countries to be used in both.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Holders of a valid European Union or European Economic Area (EU/EEA) licence can drive in this country using that licence until they reach the age of 70 or for three years, whichever is longer. After this time, they must exchange their EU/EEA licence for a GB one.
Drivers from countries with which there is an agreement for licence exchange can drive here for 12 months before exchanging their foreign licence for a GB one. Driving licence exchange agreements are currently in place with:
Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.
The licensing authority seeking an exchange agreement must provide the information needed to assess whether its driver licensing and testing standards are equivalent to those in GB.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has been approached by the following countries seeking a driving licence exchange agreement: Albania, Argentina, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Georgia, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Kosovo, Malaysia, Mauritius, San Marino, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Israel and Tunisia. Work on these agreements is in various stages of development.
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, what steps her Department is taking to monitor developments in the implementation of Hong Kong’s National Security Law; and whether she plans to issue revised guidance to UK nationals on compliance with local authorities’ requests for access to personal data and electronic communications.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) keeps its travel advice under constant review, and last updated its advice for Hong Kong on 1 April to reflect the situation on the ground. The FCDO also publishes assessments on a six-monthly basis of compliance with the commitments set out in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, the latest of which can be found at this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/six-monthly-report-on-hong-kong-july-to-december-2025.
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, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Hong Kong National Security Law on the (a) safety and (b) legal rights of UK nationals (i) visiting and (ii) residing in Hong Kong, including challenges associated with electronic device searches at border crossings; and whether her Department has engaged with international partners to coordinate updated travel guidance.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) keeps its travel advice under constant review, and last updated its advice for Hong Kong on 1 April to reflect the situation on the ground. The FCDO also publishes assessments on a six-monthly basis of compliance with the commitments set out in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, the latest of which can be found at this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/six-monthly-report-on-hong-kong-july-to-december-2025.
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, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of current UK travel advice for Hong Kong; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the National Security Law on UK travellers and journalists operating in the territory.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) keeps its travel advice under constant review, and last updated its advice for Hong Kong on 1 April to reflect the situation on the ground. The FCDO also publishes assessments on a six-monthly basis of compliance with the commitments set out in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, the latest of which can be found at this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/six-monthly-report-on-hong-kong-july-to-december-2025.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to monitor developments in the implementation of Hong Kong’s National Security Law; and whether she plans to issue revised guidance to UK nationals on compliance with local authorities’ requests for access to personal data and electronic communications.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 20 April in response to Question 127028.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Hong Kong National Security Law on the safety and legal rights of UK nationals (a) visiting and (b) residing 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 20 April in response to Question 127028.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has had discussions with international partners on coordinating updated travel guidance on the Hong Kong National Security Law.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 20 April in response to Question 127028.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will review the adequacy of her Department's travel advice for Hong Kong, in the context of recent reports of enforcement actions, under the National Security Law, regarding electronic devices in the possession of travellers; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of those reports on UK travellers and journalists operating in the territory.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office keeps its travel advice under constant review, and last updated its advice for Hong Kong on 1 April to reflect its assessment of the situation on the ground.