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Friday was a funny day. I heard the news very early in the morning that Ann had died, and I was utterly surprised about that because she had seemed perfectly fit the last time I saw her, so I gave my condolences and spoke about it on the radio. Sadly,...
Friday was a funny day. I heard the news very early in the morning that Ann had died, and I was utterly surprised about that because she had seemed perfectly fit the last time I saw her, so I gave my condolences and spoke about it on the radio. Sadly,...
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the involvement of the United Front in the purchase of independent schools by Chinese investors since 2014.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the involvement of the United Front in the purchase of independent schools by Chinese investors since 2014.
Any information the department holds on schools is accessible via the Get information about schools website here: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans she has to discuss the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law with her Chinese counterpart.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans she has to discuss the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law with her Chinese counterpart.
This is a concerning development in China. We note the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' concern that this law may entrench restrictions on the rights and freedoms of ethnic minorities in a country where the environment for freedom of religion or belief is already restrictive.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has discussed this law with Chinese officials, stressing the importance that the law does not harm the rights of members of minority groups and that it is not applied extraterritorially. We will never tolerate attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass, or harm their critics overseas, and anyone caught assisting a foreign state to undermine our security will be brought to justice.
Will the Minister give way?
Will the Minister give way?
It is always great to have the Minister at the Dispatch Box; we always have a lot of fun. I have had to juggle this issue myself, so I want to ask him a very important question: does he honestly think that making the starting rate for national insurance payments...
It is always great to have the Minister at the Dispatch Box; we always have a lot of fun. I have had to juggle this issue myself, so I want to ask him a very important question: does he honestly think that making the starting rate for national insurance payments...
I have always thought that a zero-hours contract was a terrible name for what is actually flexible hours. There was always an ideological opposition to it, but in practice over two thirds of those who were on the contracts—adults as well, often with caring responsibilities—loved the idea of being able...
I have always thought that a zero-hours contract was a terrible name for what is actually flexible hours. There was always an ideological opposition to it, but in practice over two thirds of those who were on the contracts—adults as well, often with caring responsibilities—loved the idea of being able...
It is always good to speak with the hon. Member for East Renfrewshire (Blair McDougall) on the Front Bench. Were we discussing the threats that we face or the problems we have with China and the desperate way that they have undercut the market using slave labour, we would be...
It is always good to speak with the hon. Member for East Renfrewshire (Blair McDougall) on the Front Bench. Were we discussing the threats that we face or the problems we have with China and the desperate way that they have undercut the market using slave labour, we would be...
It is all about throwing out the baby with the bathwater. I fully understand that the Government want to regulate some of that employment to ensure that people are protected, but the Employment Rights Act is so all-consuming and far-reaching that there is not just the cost—estimated at about £5...
It is all about throwing out the baby with the bathwater. I fully understand that the Government want to regulate some of that employment to ensure that people are protected, but the Employment Rights Act is so all-consuming and far-reaching that there is not just the cost—estimated at about £5...
The Prime Minister agreed that he would use all his might to tackle the shadow fleet tankers that were coming through British territorial waters. Since then, one has been taken, and just under 200 shadow fleet tankers have passed through our waters with nothing happening. Are the Government serious about stopping these tankers? Are they so serious about it that they will revisit the United Nations convention on the law of the sea, which they seem to think prevents them from boarding the tankers?
The Prime Minister agreed that he would use all his might to tackle the shadow fleet tankers that were coming through British territorial waters. Since then, one has been taken, and just under 200 shadow fleet tankers have passed through our waters with nothing happening. Are the Government serious about stopping these tankers? Are they so serious about it that they will revisit the United Nations convention on the law of the sea, which they seem to think prevents them from boarding the tankers?
Yes, I can give the right hon. Gentleman the assurance he seeks. We are serious, absolutely. That is why, in my first couple of days as the Defence Secretary, we interdicted the Russian shadow vessel, and we will not hesitate to take further action in the future.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, to what degree has the Government been committed to offer support regarding the sovereignty of the British Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, prior to the European Council statement on 19 March 2026.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, to what degree has the Government been committed to offer support regarding the sovereignty of the British Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, prior to the European Council statement on 19 March 2026.
The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (SBAs) are fully sovereign UK territory, and remained so under the 1960 Treaty Concerning the Establishment of the Republic of Cyprus. The UK remains committed to the SBAs, which make a major contribution to the security of Europe and the wider region. Senior officials have engaged their EU counterparts following the European Council statement, restating the above and noting the important contribution of the SBAs to Euro-Atlantic security.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the statement by the European Council on 19 March 2026, whether she has made representations to the European Council on its intention to provide assistance to the Republic of Cyprus in discussions relating to the...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the statement by the European Council on 19 March 2026, whether she has made representations to the European Council on its intention to provide assistance to the Republic of Cyprus in discussions relating to the...
The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (SBAs) are fully sovereign UK territory, and remained so under the 1960 Treaty Concerning the Establishment of the Republic of Cyprus. The UK remains committed to the SBAs, which make a major contribution to the security of Europe and the wider region. Senior officials have engaged their EU counterparts following the European Council statement, restating the above and noting the important contribution of the SBAs to Euro-Atlantic security.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what comparative assessment she has made of dedicated transnational repression reporting mechanisms operated in other jurisdictions, including the FBI's dedicated reporting line in the United States; and what lessons have been drawn for the UK.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what comparative assessment she has made of dedicated transnational repression reporting mechanisms operated in other jurisdictions, including the FBI's dedicated reporting line in the United States; and what lessons have been drawn for the UK.
The Government, in consultation with CTP, has assessed that existing reporting channels, including 101 and 999, are the most widely known and easily accessible means of contacting the police, allowing for effective triage by trained professionals with onward referral to specialist teams. Language support, including translation services, is embedded within these mechanisms, and work is ongoing to ensure interpreters can support the accurate identification of TNR cases. CTP has rolled out training and guidance across all forces, including for call handlers, to support the identification and escalation of potential TNR cases. CTP is also embedding a national reporting model to ensure cases indicating potential foreign state involvement are identified and escalated to specialist teams. Given the targeted and specific nature of TNR in the UK, expected demand for a dedicated hotline was assessed to be low, and a separate reporting route could risk duplication and confusion. The Government recognises that some individuals may be reluctant to report incidents and is therefore focused on strengthening confidence through improved guidance, training, and engagement with victims and civil society. The UK continues to engage closely with international partners, including the United States, to exchange insights and strengthen cooperation on TNR and wider state threats, sharing best practice on detection, reporting, and response mechanisms. |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the evidential basis was for the Government's assessment that expected call volumes to a dedicated transnational repression hotline would be low; and whether that assessment accounted for evidence of significant under-reporting through existing channels including 101.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the evidential basis was for the Government's assessment that expected call volumes to a dedicated transnational repression hotline would be low; and whether that assessment accounted for evidence of significant under-reporting through existing channels including 101.
The Government, in consultation with CTP, has assessed that existing reporting channels, including 101 and 999, are the most widely known and easily accessible means of contacting the police, allowing for effective triage by trained professionals with onward referral to specialist teams. Language support, including translation services, is embedded within these mechanisms, and work is ongoing to ensure interpreters can support the accurate identification of TNR cases. CTP has rolled out training and guidance across all forces, including for call handlers, to support the identification and escalation of potential TNR cases. CTP is also embedding a national reporting model to ensure cases indicating potential foreign state involvement are identified and escalated to specialist teams. Given the targeted and specific nature of TNR in the UK, expected demand for a dedicated hotline was assessed to be low, and a separate reporting route could risk duplication and confusion. The Government recognises that some individuals may be reluctant to report incidents and is therefore focused on strengthening confidence through improved guidance, training, and engagement with victims and civil society. The UK continues to engage closely with international partners, including the United States, to exchange insights and strengthen cooperation on TNR and wider state threats, sharing best practice on detection, reporting, and response mechanisms. |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will reconsider the Government's rejection of the Joint Committee on Human Rights' recommendation for a dedicated national reporting mechanism for victims of transnational repression.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will reconsider the Government's rejection of the Joint Committee on Human Rights' recommendation for a dedicated national reporting mechanism for victims of transnational repression.
The Government, in consultation with CTP, has assessed that existing reporting channels, including 101 and 999, are the most widely known and easily accessible means of contacting the police, allowing for effective triage by trained professionals with onward referral to specialist teams. Language support, including translation services, is embedded within these mechanisms, and work is ongoing to ensure interpreters can support the accurate identification of TNR cases. CTP has rolled out training and guidance across all forces, including for call handlers, to support the identification and escalation of potential TNR cases. CTP is also embedding a national reporting model to ensure cases indicating potential foreign state involvement are identified and escalated to specialist teams. Given the targeted and specific nature of TNR in the UK, expected demand for a dedicated hotline was assessed to be low, and a separate reporting route could risk duplication and confusion. The Government recognises that some individuals may be reluctant to report incidents and is therefore focused on strengthening confidence through improved guidance, training, and engagement with victims and civil society. The UK continues to engage closely with international partners, including the United States, to exchange insights and strengthen cooperation on TNR and wider state threats, sharing best practice on detection, reporting, and response mechanisms. |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many reports of transnational repression made via the 101 service by members of the Hong Kong diaspora have been recorded in each of the last three years; and how many of those reports resulted in (a) a recorded crime,...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many reports of transnational repression made via the 101 service by members of the Hong Kong diaspora have been recorded in each of the last three years; and how many of those reports resulted in (a) a recorded crime,...
The Government, in consultation with CTP, has assessed that existing reporting channels, including 101 and 999, are the most widely known and easily accessible means of contacting the police, allowing for effective triage by trained professionals with onward referral to specialist teams. Language support, including translation services, is embedded within these mechanisms, and work is ongoing to ensure interpreters can support the accurate identification of TNR cases. CTP has rolled out training and guidance across all forces, including for call handlers, to support the identification and escalation of potential TNR cases. CTP is also embedding a national reporting model to ensure cases indicating potential foreign state involvement are identified and escalated to specialist teams. Given the targeted and specific nature of TNR in the UK, expected demand for a dedicated hotline was assessed to be low, and a separate reporting route could risk duplication and confusion. The Government recognises that some individuals may be reluctant to report incidents and is therefore focused on strengthening confidence through improved guidance, training, and engagement with victims and civil society. The UK continues to engage closely with international partners, including the United States, to exchange insights and strengthen cooperation on TNR and wider state threats, sharing best practice on detection, reporting, and response mechanisms. |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training 101 call handlers receive in (a) identifying and (b) recording reports of transnational repression.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training 101 call handlers receive in (a) identifying and (b) recording reports of transnational repression.
The Government, in consultation with CTP, has assessed that existing reporting channels, including 101 and 999, are the most widely known and easily accessible means of contacting the police, allowing for effective triage by trained professionals with onward referral to specialist teams. Language support, including translation services, is embedded within these mechanisms, and work is ongoing to ensure interpreters can support the accurate identification of TNR cases. CTP has rolled out training and guidance across all forces, including for call handlers, to support the identification and escalation of potential TNR cases. CTP is also embedding a national reporting model to ensure cases indicating potential foreign state involvement are identified and escalated to specialist teams. Given the targeted and specific nature of TNR in the UK, expected demand for a dedicated hotline was assessed to be low, and a separate reporting route could risk duplication and confusion. The Government recognises that some individuals may be reluctant to report incidents and is therefore focused on strengthening confidence through improved guidance, training, and engagement with victims and civil society. The UK continues to engage closely with international partners, including the United States, to exchange insights and strengthen cooperation on TNR and wider state threats, sharing best practice on detection, reporting, and response mechanisms. |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the 101 non-emergency police line as the primary route for Hong Kongers in the UK to report incidents of transnational repression.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the 101 non-emergency police line as the primary route for Hong Kongers in the UK to report incidents of transnational repression.
The Government, in consultation with CTP, has assessed that existing reporting channels, including 101 and 999, are the most widely known and easily accessible means of contacting the police, allowing for effective triage by trained professionals with onward referral to specialist teams. Language support, including translation services, is embedded within these mechanisms, and work is ongoing to ensure interpreters can support the accurate identification of TNR cases. CTP has rolled out training and guidance across all forces, including for call handlers, to support the identification and escalation of potential TNR cases. CTP is also embedding a national reporting model to ensure cases indicating potential foreign state involvement are identified and escalated to specialist teams. Given the targeted and specific nature of TNR in the UK, expected demand for a dedicated hotline was assessed to be low, and a separate reporting route could risk duplication and confusion. The Government recognises that some individuals may be reluctant to report incidents and is therefore focused on strengthening confidence through improved guidance, training, and engagement with victims and civil society. The UK continues to engage closely with international partners, including the United States, to exchange insights and strengthen cooperation on TNR and wider state threats, sharing best practice on detection, reporting, and response mechanisms. |
Is it not the reality that the plan the Defence Secretary has put forward barely scrapes into 2.7%? It is not 3%. It leaves us £9.3 billion short, every single year of the process. If he is not going to achieve 3% by 2030, how in heaven’s name will he...
Is it not the reality that the plan the Defence Secretary has put forward barely scrapes into 2.7%? It is not 3%. It leaves us £9.3 billion short, every single year of the process. If he is not going to achieve 3% by 2030, how in heaven’s name will he...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the Government of China on reports that released religious prisoners of conscience in China face exit bans and other post-release restrictions; and whether she has raised the removal of those restrictions.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the Government of China on reports that released religious prisoners of conscience in China face exit bans and other post-release restrictions; and whether she has raised the removal of those restrictions.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 March in response to question 118999.
It seems that whoever comes into government, the Foreign Office’s weak policy on the UAE persists. I remind the hon. Gentleman that the UAE has incarcerated a British citizen for more than 19 years—illegally, according to the UN. The UAE provides the rebels with significant amounts of arms and weaponry,...
It seems that whoever comes into government, the Foreign Office’s weak policy on the UAE persists. I remind the hon. Gentleman that the UAE has incarcerated a British citizen for more than 19 years—illegally, according to the UN. The UAE provides the rebels with significant amounts of arms and weaponry,...