Asked by: Lord Leong (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Sino-British relations following the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre on 4 June, and the recent suppression of peaceful demonstrations in Hong Kong.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As we note in our latest Six-Monthly Report, freedom of speech and assembly continue to be curtailed in Hong Kong as was witnessed on 4 June. The right to peaceful protest and freedom of assembly were both promised to Hong Kongers under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and enshrined in the Basic Law. Marking the anniversary of the massacre, the Foreign Secretary said "we will never forget those who stood up for democracy and will always stand by those who defend human rights in China". The Foreign Secretary made plain our views on Hong Kong with Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng on 5 May and at the UN Human Rights Council on 27 February.
Asked by: Lord Leong (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much of UK’s aid budget has been spent in China in the last three fiscal years; and how aid allocated to China in the last three fiscal years has been spent.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
HMG Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) is reported by calendar year. Spend in China was £51.7 million in 2021, £64.1 million in 2020, and £68.3 million in 2019, supporting UK policy objectives including on human rights, health and climate. Full details are available on the gov.uk page for Statistics on International Development in 'Data Underlying the SID.' FCDO cut aid programming in China by 95 per cent in Financial Year 21/22 and focused on open societies and human rights. Additional ODA that year met contractual exit costs of former programmes. Total ODA spend in China also includes non-programme activity, such as the ODA-eligible portion of the costs of UK diplomatic staff in China, Chinese Chevening scholars and the British Council's ODA-eligible activity.
Asked by: Lord Leong (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many UK citizens are working as judges in Hong Kong.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government does not hold data on the number of UK citizens working as judges in Hong Kong.
The decision to withdraw serving UK judges from Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal (CFA) was made by the President of the UK Supreme Court in March 2022.
We are aware that 6 retired UK judges remain as non-permanent judges on the CFA. As private citizens, it is for the individual legal practitioners to decide on their service overseas; the UK judiciary and legal profession are independent from the Government.
Asked by: Lord Leong (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of China regarding allowing British lawyers to represent British citizens in Hong Kong courts.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Foreign Lawyers are permitted to practice in Hong Kong, provided they complete the relevant registration and entrance requirements. We are watching closely how the Chief Executive and Hong Kong authorities act to implement the 30 December interpretation of the National Security Law.