Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has issued guidance to British banks operating in Hong Kong on recognition of British National (Overseas) passports as valid identity documents for pension withdrawal.

We are aware of the difficulties BN(O)s are experiencing in seeking early withdrawal of their pension held by the Mandatory Provident Fund in Hong Kong. The root of the problem is the Chinese Government's decision not to recognise the British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) passport as a valid identity document in Hong Kong. The UK firmly opposes the discrimination of BN(O)s in this way. We have urged the Hong Kong authorities to facilitate the early drawdown of funds as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently. I last did so with Christopher Hui, Hong Kong Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury on 18 April and pressed for a pragmatic solution. The Investment Minister, Lord Johnson, also raised the matter with Hong Kong's Commercial Secretary, Algernon Yau, during his recent visit to Hong Kong.