Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has raised the issue of the continuing imprisonment of Liu Xiaobo with his counterpart in China; and if he will make a statement.

As the Foreign Secretary stated on 13 July, we are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Liu Xiaobo. He was a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and lifelong campaigner for democracy, human rights and peace. His death is a huge loss and our thoughts are with his wife, Liu Xia, his wider family, friends and supporters.

I raised the case of Liu Xiaobo directly with the Chinese Ambassador on 5 July, and clearly requested that Liu Xiaobo be allowed full access to the medical treatment of his choice and for all restrictions on him and his family to be lifted. We also raised his case at the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue which was held in Beijing on 27 June.