Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their view has changed as to whether the national security legislation in Hong Kong constitutes a breach of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration; and why British judges are permitted to serve in Hong Kong courts that have responsibility for the implementation of that legislation.

As the Foreign Secretary said in Parliament on 1 July, the enactment of this legislation, imposed by the authorities in Beijing on the people of Hong Kong, constitutes a clear and serious breach of the Joint Declaration. The UK Government continues to make clear our concerns to the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities.

The UK judiciary is independent of the UK Government. The President of the Supreme Court issued a statement on 17 July noting "The Supreme Court supports the judges of Hong Kong in their commitment to safeguard judicial independence and the rule of law. It will continue to assess the position in Hong Kong as it develops, in discussion with the UK Government. Whether judges of the Supreme Court can continue to serve as judges in Hong Kong will depend on whether such service remains compatible with judicial independence and the rule of law."