Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of refusals by the Hong Kong Police Force to provide criminals records of British National (overseas) Visa holders on the ability of those people to gain employment in the UK.

In April 2021, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) launched a new UK-wide Welcome Programme to support BN(O) status holders. In November 2022, DLUHC published a letter to BN(O)s and prospective employers on Certificates of No Criminal Conviction (CNCC) from the Hong Kong Police. The letter outlines a revised guidance on how to obtain a CNCC. Where a CNCC cannot be obtained, sectoral examples on alternative methods are provided. The letter is available in English and Cantonese and is available on the GOV.UK landing page. We are working closely with FCDO officials to keep the guidance under review and monitor the impact to help BN(O)s overcome the barriers they face when seeking employment.