Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has had recent discussions with Hong Kong pro-democracy activists resident in the UK who have been issued with arrest warrants by the Hong Kong National Security Police.

The Government continually assesses potential threats in the UK, and takes protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously.

DLUHC, Home Office and FCDO regularly engage with and attends events held by a wide range of British Nationals Overseas (BN(O)) community groups.

While it is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security and intelligence matters, where we identify individuals at heightened risk, we are front footed in deploying protective security guidance and other measures as appropriate.

We will not tolerate any attempts by China to intimidate and silence individuals in the UK and overseas. The UK will always defend the universal right to freedom of expression and stand up for those who are targeted.

We strongly object to the National Security Law that China has imposed on Hong Kong, including its extraterritorial reach, in breach of the legally binding Sino-British Joint Declaration. We call on Beijing to remove the National Security Law and for the Hong Kong authorities to end their targeting of those who stand up for freedom and democracy.

The Defending Democracy Taskforce is reviewing the UK’s approach to transnational repression to ensure we have a robust and joined up response across government and law enforcement.