The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 25th April 2022:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of extradition treaties between EU Member States and the People’s Republic of China on freedom of movement for UK citizens in Europe; and what discussions they have had with European counterparts on this matter.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con): The UK has suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong indefinitely. Until there are clear and robust safeguards that can prevent extradition from the UK under the new national security legislation, the treaty will not be reactivated.
Extradition treaties between EU Members States and China are a matter for those countries to determine. Freedom of movement between the UK and the EU ended on 31 December 2020.
FCDO Travel Advice pages remain under constant review to ensure they hold the most up-to-date information and advice on the most relevant issues for British nationals. We will continue to ensure our Travel Advice reflects the current situation and any assessment of risk for British nationals.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce a country-specific sanctions list for Hong Kong.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con): We will continue to consider designations under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations. It is not appropriate to speculate who may be designated under the sanctions regime in the future. To do this could reduce the impact of the designations.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the new Hong Kong National Security Law, and (2) the blocking of Hong Kong Watch’s website in the territory; and whether they will update their travel advice for Hong Kong.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The National Security Law (NSL) constitutes a clear and serious breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. It violates the high degree of autonomy of executive and legislative powers and independent judicial authority, provided for in the Joint Declaration. The UK is a fierce champion of freedom, democracy, human rights and adherence to international rules so we will continue to make clear our strong opposition to the NSL.
The UK has already taken a number of actions in response to developments in Hong Kong. These include introducing a new bespoke immigration path for British Nationals (Overseas) (BNOs), suspending our extradition treaty with Hong Kong indefinitely, and extending our arms embargo on mainland China to Hong Kong.
FCDO Travel Advice pages remain under constant review to ensure they hold the most up-to-date information and advice on the most relevant issues for British nationals. We will continue to ensure our Travel Advice reflects the current situation and any assessment of risk for British nationals.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government, further to the blocking of Hong Kong Watch’s website in that territory, what assessment they have made of the extraterritoriality clause of the Hong Kong National Security Law.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Article 37 of the National Security Law says that the law applies to any Hong Kong Permanent Resident worldwide who commits a crime under the law. Article 38 says the law applies to “a person who is not a permanent resident of the region” wherever in the world they infringe the law.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to protect UK NGOs that are potentially subject to prosecution under Hong Kong’s National Security Law.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong indefinitely. Until there are clear and robust safeguards that can prevent extradition from the UK under the new national security legislation, the treaty will not be reactivated.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with their counterparts in Hong Kong regarding the targeting of UK citizens under the National Security Law.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We do not comment on individual cases. The Foreign Secretary is in regular contact with her international counterparts on issues relating to Hong Kong and we continue to work intensively within international institutions to call on China to live up to its international obligations and responsibilities. We will continue to bring together our like-minded partners to stand up for the people of Hong Kong, to denounce the violation of their rights and freedoms.
The Church of England in Parliament 
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