Nigel Adams MP
Minister of State for Asia
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
Tel: 0207 008 5000
The Lord Alton of Liverpool
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
08 September 2021
Dear Lord Alton,
Thank you for your letter of 6 August regarding the UK Government’s Travel Advice for Hong Kong.
The UK Government is monitoring closely the implementation of the Immigration (Amendment) Bill.
We published a factual update to our Travel Advice on 30 July. This notified British nationals of the new Bill and associated powers that could prevent onward travel. To date, the powers granted under the Bill have not been used to prevent individuals from leaving Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Government has said that these powers will only be used to stop certain asylum seekers entering Hong Kong, rather than stopping people from leaving. With our international partners, we have urged them to guarantee that this legislation is not misused by putting in place further legislation as soon as possible.
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. I assure you that alongside our international partners, we will continue to monitor the Bill’s implementation and ensure our Travel Advice reflects the current situation and any assessment of risk for British nationals.
You also referred to the arrest of a journalist attempting to leave Hong Kong for the UK. On 27 June, Hong Kong Police reportedly arrested Fung Wai-Kong, a former senior editorial writer for newspaper Apple Daily, before he boarded a flight to the United Kingdom. According to media reports, Fung was arrested under powers granted under the National Security Law (NSL). The Immigration (Amendment) Bill was not in force at the time. The authorities subsequently charged Fung with “collusion with foreign forces” under the NSL.
The UK Government has put its position on the NSL clearly on the record; the law is in clear breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
Nigel Adams MP
Minister of State for Asia
