Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the arrest of 15 pro-democracy politicians in Hong Kong; and what steps they are taking, as a co-signatory to the Sino-British Joint Declaration 1984, to (1) defend the freedom to protest; (2) protect the autonomy of the Legislative Council; and (3) ensure that Article 22 of Hong Kong's Basic Law is upheld and respected, in Hong Kong.

We are concerned about the arrests of a number of political figures in Hong Kong, and are following these cases closely. We expect any arrests and judicial processes to be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to Hong Kong's way of life and as such is protected in both the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law. It is essential that any protests are conducted peacefully, and that the authorities avoid actions that inflame tensions. The authorities should focus on rebuilding trust through a process of meaningful political dialogue.

The UK remains committed to upholding the rights and freedoms underpinned by the Joint Declaration, the Basic Law and enshrined in Hong Kong's Bill of Rights, and we expect the Chinese authorities to respect and preserve Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy. We have made this position clear to the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities and will continue to do so, publicly and privately.