October Monthly Update - APPG on Arbitrary Detention and Hostage Affairs

This month in Parliament:

• October 16th oral question in Prime Minister Question Time - Rishi Sunak raised the case of Jimmy Lai as part of questions related to David Lammy’s visit to China. Keir Starmer said the case was a priority for the Government and called on China to immediately release Jimmy Lai.

• October 21st Tim Roca written question on the appointment of a special envoy - Hamish Falconer response that they are considering how to strengthen including through the appointment of a special envoy: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-10-09/8374 

• October 21st Baroness Kennedy written question on Jimmy Lai - Baroness Chapman answered ‘The Foreign Secretary raised Jimmy Lai's case in his first meeting with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the ASEAN Summit on 26 July and his case remains a priority for this Government. I met with Sebastien Lai and Jimmy Lai's international legal team on Tuesday 8 October. We will continue to call on the Hong Kong authorities to end their politically motivated prosecution and immediately release Jimmy Lai and we will continue to press for consular access’: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-10-07/hl1254 

• October 22nd oral question by Alicia Kearns regarding Jimmy Lai, Jagtar Singh Johal, Ryan Cornelius and Alaa abd El-Fattah and the commitment to enact a special envoy position, replied by Stephen Doughty: ‘We call on the Hong Kong authorities to end their politically motivated prosecution and immediately release British national Jimmy Lai. His case remains a high priority for His Majesty’s Government, and UK diplomats attend his court hearing in Hong Kong. The Foreign Secretary recently raised the case with Wang Yi during his visit to Beijing on 18 October. On 24 July the Foreign Secretary raised the case of Jagtar Singh Johal with the Indian External Affairs Minister, and I am happy to write to the hon. Lady further about those matters. She can be assured that we take these cases incredibly seriously.’ 

• October 26th oral question by Brendan O’Hara on what progress they see in Jimmy Lai’s case. David Lammy responded: ‘“Progress” is Jimmy Lai’s release; that is the position of the UK Government. I cannot tell the hon. Gentleman when that will be, because we are not holding him; the Chinese are holding him. We continue to say that he should be released—that is our position.’

• October 28th debate Human Rights and Sanction - David Lammy committed to meeting Jimmy Lai’s family and legal team following intervention by Alicia Kearns: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2024-10-28/debates/21B21F83-4418-4181-96C5-957496B5FA7A/ChinaHumanRightsAndSanctions#contribution-6CC69570-0E41-4ED3-AC79-688D3EBD73CC 

• October 30th question by Lord Alton on Jimmy Lai - Lord Collins responded ‘on 18 October, the Foreign Secretary raised it with Foreign Minister Wang Yi; and it was certainly raised under the previous Government on 5 December. We take this incredibly seriously. The problem remains with some issues of consular access because of dual nationals. The noble Lord knows that he and I have taken up other cases on that basis, but rest assured that we will continue to put much pressure on the Chinese Communist Party officials who are taking this action. We are extremely concerned about the continued imprisonment and I repeat that the Foreign Secretary will, as he assured the House of Commons on Monday, meet the family so that we can continue to give support at all levels’