Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people from Hong Kong in the UK who hold British National (Overseas) status following the reports of alleged secret police stations in the UK.

The UK has taken firm action following restrictions on the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong.

We continually assess potential threats in the UK, and take protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously. Home Office officials work closely with other departments including the FCDO and DLUHC in ensuring that the UK is a safe and welcoming place for both those who hold BN(O) status and other Hongkongers.

Attempts by foreign Governments to coerce, intimidate, harass or harm their critics overseas, undermining democracy and the rule of law, are unacceptable.

I made a statement on the issue of transnational repression to the House on 1 November. As I said to the House, reports of undeclared ‘police stations’ in the UK are of course very concerning and are taken extremely seriously. Any foreign country operating on UK soil must abide by UK law. This Government is committed to tackling this challenge wherever it originates. An internal review into transnational repression is underway and the House will be updated on progress in due course.

More broadly, I am driving forward work to protect the democratic integrity of the UK, including from threats of foreign interference, through the Defending Democracy Taskforce.