Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 2 June 2020, Official Report, column 682 on Hong Kong National Security Legislation: UK Response, and his response at column 691 that the Home Office is considering representations on behalf of former Hong Kong Military Service Corps personnel who were not awarded UK passports between 1990 and 1997, if he will take steps with the Home Secretary to ensure that those estimated remaining 250 to 300 military and naval veterans and their families are now permitted to apply for UK passports.

NOTE: Despite the above wording being approved for publication by the Table Office for answer by the FCO, for reasons unknown the final version published was reallocated to the Home Secretary, as below, thus largely overlapping Question 53989 already directed to the Home Office.

Table Office revision: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral statement of 2 June 2020 by Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Official Report, column 682 on Hong Kong National Security Legislation: UK Response, and his response at column 691 that the Home Office is considering representations on behalf of former Hong Kong Military Service Corps personnel who were not awarded UK passports between 1990 and 1997, if she will take steps with the Foreign Office to ensure that those estimated remaining 250 to 300 military and naval veterans and their families are now permitted to apply for UK passports.  [53988]

[Due for Answer on 8 June.]

ANSWER

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Future Borders and Immigration (Kevin Foster): As the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday 2 June 2020, as a Government and as a country we are extremely grateful to those who served in the Hong Kong Military Service Corps.

This situation is being kept under review in light of recent events in Hong Kong.