Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance she has issued to jobcentres to ensure that people coming to the UK from Hong Kong under (a) the BN(O) and (b) other visa schemes are able to secure training and education opportunities using qualifications obtained in Hong Kong.

BN(O) entering the UK will have no recourse to public funds (NRPF) as stipulated by their visa conditions. A change is being made to Appendix Hong Kong British National (Overseas) which will allow those on the British National (Overseas) route to apply to vary their conditions to have their no recourse to public funds condition lifted where they are able to demonstrate they are destitute or at imminent risk of destitution.

The Department for Work and Pensions will continue to work closely with Home Office and OGDs to ensure of the smooth integration of BN(O)s who choose to settle into the UK.

The UK European Network Information Centre (UK ENIC, and formerly UK NARIC) provides expert advice on behalf of the UK Government on the comparability of international qualifications, including those from Hong Kong to UK qualifications. UK Higher Education Institutions and other educational institutions use the ENIC database to assess the qualifications of applicants for their courses.

Further information on specific provisions across the four nations of the UK will be set out in due course.