Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the involvement in the UK economy of firms complicit in the surveillance and monitoring of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

The UK is committed to promoting the ethical development and deployment of technology in the UK and overseas. We are aware of a number of Chinese technology companies linked to violations taking place in Xinjiang, including use of high-tech “predictive policing” algorithms, DNA and voice sampling, and extensive use of surveillance cameras, and are monitoring the situation closely.

Where China is not meeting its obligations under international law and falls below the standards required and expected of responsible governments and nation states, this government has and will continue to speak out publicly.

The Government is committed to supporting UK businesses and academia to engage with China in a way that reflects the UK’s values and takes account of national security concerns. Last year we published guidance to help cutting-edge UK firms negotiate the ethical, legal and commercial questions they may encounter in China or when working with Chinese businesses, supporting safe and appropriate UK-China collaboration in digital and tech. The guidance provides firms with clear, up-to-date information and specialist support which reflect the UK’s values and take account of national security concerns.