Oral Answers to Questions

Catherine West Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd September 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Catherine West)]

In June, the Minister for Security, my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley North (Dan Jarvis), and I met the UK activists targeted by the Hong Kong arrest warrants and bounties. We have raised concerns regarding the arrest warrants and bounties directly with the Chinese ambassador here in London, reaffirming that the safety and security of Hongkongers in the UK is of the utmost importance to the Government. The matter is being raised at all levels—by Ministers and by the Foreign Secretary, and will indeed be raised, if there is such an occasion in the future, leader to leader.

[Rachel Blake (Cities of London and Westminster) (Lab/Co-op)]

T4.   I share the anguish and profound distress of my constituents over the conflict in Gaza. Many of them have friends and family in the region; they are living with that torment every day. The Minister will have seen hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens marching for a release of the hostages and for a ceasefire. What are the UK Government doing to support those citizens and the Opposition parties in Israel, who are being so let down?

--- Later in debate ---

[Liz Jarvis (Eastleigh) (LD)]

T10. My constituents who have fled Hong Kong are deeply worried about the silencing of democratic voices there and the uncertainty that the proposed change to indefinite leave to remain creates for their long-term security here in the UK. What steps are the Government taking to hold to account those responsible for the erosion of Hong Kong’s freedoms and to give reassurance to Hongkongers who have sought refuge here?

[Catherine West]

I thank the hon. Lady for raising this important matter on behalf of her constituents. I can reassure her that the UK Government have called on Beijing numerous times to repeal the national security law, which provides for the autocratic treatment of people abroad, such as her constituents. We continue to work closely with the Minister for Border Security and Asylum to ensure that anyone here in the UK is safe and that their families in Hong Kong are also safe.