Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK residents with British National (Overseas) Visas are able to access pension savings held abroad.

We are aware that individuals who have moved to the UK on the British National (Overseas) visa route are having difficulties in drawing down early their pension savings held in Hong Kong. We are committed to supporting the valued BN(O) community in the UK and are clear that discrimination against BN(O) passport holders is unacceptable. We have discussed the matter in detail with the relevant banks and we continue to raise this issue directly with the Hong Kong authorities to encourage a pragmatic solution.