Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Hong Kong Government following their refusal to provide an entry visa to Benedict Rogers, the deputy chair of the UK Conservatives' human rights commission.

The Foreign Secretary issued a statement on 11 October about the denial of entry to Hong Kong to Mr Rogers. This made clear his concern about this development and his intention to seek an urgent explanation from the Hong Kong authorities and the Chinese Government.

• On 11 October, Director General for Economic and Global Issues in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) summoned the Chinese Ambassador to the UK on this issue, and the FCO Head of China Department spoke to the Director-General of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London on 12 October. On 12 October, the Minister-Counsellor at the British Embassy in Beijing raised the issue with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Our Consul General to Hong Kong and Macao raised the issue with the Chinese MFA Commissioner in Hong Kong on 12 October and the Hong Kong SAR Secretary for Security on 13 October. On 20 October, the Minister for Asia and the Pacific, wrote to the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Carrie Lam, setting out our position on the issues raised.

"The British Government believes that Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, and its rights and freedoms, are central to its way of life and should be fully respected."