Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what restrictions have been placed on British tourists and officials who have been granted access to the Tibet Autonomous Region in recent years.

When officials have visited the Tibet Adiminstation Region (TAR) in recent years, these visits have followed a formal programme organised by the Chinese authorities. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice describes the restrictions on tourist visits to the TAR. It notes that tourists can only travel to the TAR on an organised tour and must get a permit in advance through a specialised travel agent in China. It goes on to note that Chinese authorities sometimes stop issuing these without notice.