Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Article 23 legislation in Hong Kong on religious freedom; and whether he plans to make representations to his counterpart in Hong Kong on that matter.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The proposed new Article 23 legislation needs to align with international standards and protect the rights promised to the people of Hong Kong. We will monitor the development of the legislation and continue to raise the erosion of rights and freedoms with the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities. The Foreign Secretary last did so with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 5 December. The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) globally. We continue to monitor FoRB in Hong Kong through our regular Six-monthly Reports to Parliament and interactions with local faith leaders. In our latest report, published on 19 September, we noted religious practice is generally not restricted in Hong Kong, with a variety of religious practices coexisting across the territory.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made on the implications for his policies of the press release of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights entitled, Hong Kong SAR: UN expert warns against admission of evidence, allegedly secured through torture, in Jimmy Lai case, published on 31 January 2024; and when he last made representations to the Hong Kong authorities on the Jimmy Lai case.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of media reports and a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Cruel, Inhumane, Degrading Treatment or Punishment alleging mistreatment of Andy Li while he was detained in mainland China. We take all allegations of torture and mistreatment very seriously and are looking into this further. Article 15 of the Convention against Torture, which China has ratified, prohibits the use of statements established to have been made as a result of torture in court proceedings. Diplomats from our Consulate-General are attending Mr Lai's court proceedings as the trial continues. The Foreign Secretary raised Jimmy Lai's case with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 5 December.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made on the implications for his policies of the press release of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights entitled, Hong Kong SAR: UN expert warns against admission of evidence, allegedly secured through torture, in Jimmy Lai case, published on 31 January 2024; and when he last made representations to the Hong Kong authorities on the Jimmy Lai case.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of media reports and a submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Cruel, Inhumane, Degrading Treatment or Punishment alleging mistreatment of Andy Li while he was detained in mainland China. We take all allegations of torture and mistreatment very seriously and are looking into this further. Article 15 of the Convention against Torture, which China has ratified, prohibits the use of statements established to have been made as a result of torture in court proceedings. Diplomats from our Consulate-General are attending Mr Lai's court proceedings as the trial continues. The Foreign Secretary raised Jimmy Lai's case with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 5 December.
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the documentation provided to British National Overseas passport holders to access mandatory provident fund monies.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The UK firmly opposes the discrimination that British National (Overseas) status holders are facing in applying for early withdrawal of their pension funds held by the Mandatory Provident Fund in Hong Kong. The documentary requirements for accessing the scheme are a matter for the Hong Kong authorities. We have urged them to facilitate the early drawdown of funds as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Foreign Secretary intends to visit China; and if so, (1) what assessment they have made of the achievements of the previous visit by a Foreign Secretary in August 2023, and (2) whether he will raise (a) the government of China’s treatment of the Uyghurs, (b) the erosion of democracy and imprisonment of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, (c) the sanctioning of UK parliamentarians by the government of Hong Kong, and (d) the government of China’s threats against Taiwan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We consistently raise China's human rights violations, sanctions against UK parliamentarians and our objection to the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong with the Chinese authorities; most recently the Foreign Secretary did so with Wang Yi during their call on 5 December. On 17 December, the Foreign Secretary also called for the repeal of the National Security Law and an end to the prosecution of all individuals under it. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion. For future Ministerial visits - human rights remain a key component of our advocacy.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce sanctions against Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee and other Hong Kong officials responsible for the erosion of civil and political rights in Hong Kong.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have made clear our strong objection to the National Security Law, which is being used to stifle opposition and criminalise dissent in Hong Kong. We keep all potential sanctions designations under close review. It would not be appropriate to speculate about future sanctions measures as to do so could reduce their impact.
Asked by: Andrew Selous (Conservative - South West Bedfordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the autonomy of Hong Kong’s (a) economic, (b) monetary and (c) financial systems.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The latest Six-Monthly report on Hong Kong, published on 19 September, notes that Hong Kong's economic, monetary, and financial systems remain distinct and robust from mainland China. The Hong Kong SAR Government has maintained a free market economic and trade system, retaining autonomy in deciding their economic and trade policies. Hong Kong continues to be recognised as an international financial centre with sole discretion over its monetary and financial policies.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the viability of Hong Kong as an international financial centre.
Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government monitors the operation and functioning of the international financial system on an ongoing basis.
As noted in the latest Six-Monthly report on Hong Kong, published by the FCDO on 19 September 2023, Hong Kong continues to be recognised as an international financial centre with sole discretion over its monetary and financial policies.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to those UK citizens names as co-conspirators in the trial of Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Minister for the Indo-Pacific said on 23 January, it is unacceptable that British nationals, including the former Consul-General, have been named by the prosecution in Jimmy Lai's national security trial in Hong Kong. We have made clear our concerns to the Chinese authorities. The Minister for the Indo-Pacific has met with several of the named individuals, who bravely speak out on human rights concerns in Hong Kong and China, despite threats to themselves. We will not tolerate any attempts to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK. The UK has no active extradition agreement with Hong Kong or China.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will hold discussions with (a) HSBC and (b) Standard Chartered on taking steps to publish all communications between their organisations and the Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Fund Authority in the last three years.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The publication of such communications is ultimately a decision for Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) trustees, who are regulated by the MPF Authority in Hong Kong. The Government firmly opposes the MPF’s discrimination against British National (Overseas) status holders (BN(O)s) and we will continue to urge the Hong Kong authorities and all relevant bodies to facilitate early drawdown of funds for BN(O)s as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently. The conduct of UK banking institutions is not a matter for the Home Office, but I have asked my officials to raise this matter with HM Treasury.