Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help protect people from Hong Kong living in the UK from (a) intimidation and (b) violence.

The UK Government has taken firm action following restrictions on the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong, including delivering a UK-wide welcome Programme to support BN(O) (British National Overseas) status holders led by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

The Programme includes:

• funding for local authorities in England to provide English language and destitution support,
• establishing 12 virtual Welcome Hubs across the UK,
• funding for organisations to deliver UK-wide and regional projects,
• a comprehensive Welcome Pack on GOV.UK which advises new arrivals on how to settle into life in the UK.

As you would expect, Home Office officials work closely with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and DLUHC, as well as other government departments, to ensure that the UK is a safe and welcoming place for both those who hold BN(O) status and other Hongkongers.

As I have made clear previously, freedom of expression is fundamental to who we are as a country. We do not tolerate attempts to silence, intimidate or harm those speaking truth to power. I urge anyone who is experiencing such behaviour to contact the police.