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.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52622 on National Security: China, what information her Department holds on whether the United Front Work Department has sought to interfere in the planning process for the proposed Chinese Embassy...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52622 on National Security: China, what information her Department holds on whether the United Front Work Department has sought to interfere in the planning process for the proposed Chinese Embassy...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answers of 19 December 2024 to Question 20231 and HL3240, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of involvement of the United Front Work Department in the planning process for...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answers of 19 December 2024 to Question 20231 and HL3240, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of involvement of the United Front Work Department in the planning process for...

My Lords, the Government have recently decided to pivot back towards closer ties with China, with the Prime Minister saying he intends to pursue a “pragmatic” relationship with it. The advice from the security services has been clear: the foreign influence registration scheme, which has been delayed by this Government...

My Lords, the Government have recently decided to pivot back towards closer ties with China, with the Prime Minister saying he intends to pursue a “pragmatic” relationship with it. The advice from the security services has been clear: the foreign influence registration scheme, which has been delayed by this Government...

The first answer is that the Government will take a long-term, consistent approach to China and the dealings we have with it. It is important that

we co-operate where we can on international matters such as climate change, and compete where we need to on business and on trade. When...

The first answer is that the Government will take a long-term, consistent approach to China and the dealings we have with it. It is important that

we co-operate where we can on international matters such as climate change, and compete where we need to on business and on trade. When...

My Lords, both the intelligence services and the courts have decided that the individual in the news recently has acted against

“the safety or interests of the United Kingdom”.

This is the legal test in Section 66 of the National Security Act 2023, which the Minister’s noble friend Lord Coaker and I...

My Lords, both the intelligence services and the courts have decided that the individual in the news recently has acted against

“the safety or interests of the United Kingdom”.

This is the legal test in Section 66 of the National Security Act 2023, which the Minister’s noble friend Lord Coaker and I...

The enhanced list will be brought forward, as will FIRS, for summer next year. If there are issues that we wish to bring forward on an enhanced list, we will do that but not announce it strictly in advance. I anticipate early in the new year looking at some of...

The enhanced list will be brought forward, as will FIRS, for summer next year. If there are issues that we wish to bring forward on an enhanced list, we will do that but not announce it strictly in advance. I anticipate early in the new year looking at some of...

I declare my interest that I was on the Intelligence and Security Committee at the time; I was one of the authors of the Russia report that my noble friend mentions. It is extremely important that we examine the issues that he has raised. We know about this matter because...

I declare my interest that I was on the Intelligence and Security Committee at the time; I was one of the authors of the Russia report that my noble friend mentions. It is extremely important that we examine the issues that he has raised. We know about this matter because...

I assure the right reverend Prelate that the UK Government take human rights seriously and will, when necessary, make representations and consider action against a regime, be it China or otherwise, that abuses those rights as a matter of course. That is part of domestic foreign policy, and it will...

I assure the right reverend Prelate that the UK Government take human rights seriously and will, when necessary, make representations and consider action against a regime, be it China or otherwise, that abuses those rights as a matter of course. That is part of domestic foreign policy, and it will...

The Prime Minister is taking an approach that is in the interests of the United Kingdom. That approach is about challenging where necessary and referring strongly when we have security information, as we have done this week, but looking at where there are areas of potential co-operation, because we cannot...

The Prime Minister is taking an approach that is in the interests of the United Kingdom. That approach is about challenging where necessary and referring strongly when we have security information, as we have done this week, but looking at where there are areas of potential co-operation, because we cannot...

Absolutely—it is extremely important that we do that. The Government will make further announcements on the development of FIRS in the new year. They intend to have the first scheme in place by summer next year. They will look at giving advice on any countries or individuals potentially designated under...

Absolutely—it is extremely important that we do that. The Government will make further announcements on the development of FIRS in the new year. They intend to have the first scheme in place by summer next year. They will look at giving advice on any countries or individuals potentially designated under...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for the work he did on the Intelligence and Security Committee. Will he reiterate to your Lordships’ House the findings of that committee that 40,000 members of the United Front Work Department had penetrated

“every sector of the United Kingdom economy”,

including our universities? Why...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for the work he did on the Intelligence and Security Committee. Will he reiterate to your Lordships’ House the findings of that committee that 40,000 members of the United Front Work Department had penetrated

“every sector of the United Kingdom economy”,

including our universities? Why...

My Lords, I have heard that the Government intend to take a pragmatic approach on this, but the issue regarding FIRS extends to a number of other legislative vehicles, such as the National Security and Investment Act and the forthcoming cyber resilience Bill. For those who work in the public...

My Lords, I have heard that the Government intend to take a pragmatic approach on this, but the issue regarding FIRS extends to a number of other legislative vehicles, such as the National Security and Investment Act and the forthcoming cyber resilience Bill. For those who work in the public...

My Lords, FIRS came out of a recommendation from the Intelligence and Security Committee in its Russia report in 2020, and whether

the enhanced tier was workable was questioned by many of us on the ISC, including myself. Does my noble friend agree that, irrespective of whether a country is...

My Lords, FIRS came out of a recommendation from the Intelligence and Security Committee in its Russia report in 2020, and whether

the enhanced tier was workable was questioned by many of us on the ISC, including myself. Does my noble friend agree that, irrespective of whether a country is...

My Lords, we are all aware how complicated it is trying both to maintain our defence and security and to continue to trade. At the same time, there are some profound human rights issues going on. Reports have just emerged that the Chinese Government have demolished an important centre—the Rebiya...

My Lords, we are all aware how complicated it is trying both to maintain our defence and security and to continue to trade. At the same time, there are some profound human rights issues going on. Reports have just emerged that the Chinese Government have demolished an important centre—the Rebiya...

Lords statement on the United Front Work Department.

Lords statement on the United Front Work Department.

Speaker's statement on the sub judice rule and paragraphs relating to members of the royal family in sections 21.20 and 21.23 of Erskine May. Urgent question on the United Front Work Department.

Speaker's statement on the sub judice rule and paragraphs relating to members of the royal family in sections 21.20 and 21.23 of Erskine May. Urgent question on the United Front Work Department.

The first duty of any Government is national security, and we therefore welcome the court’s decision to uphold the Home Office’s position with regard to the exclusion of H6, who can now be named as Yang Tengbo. The Special Immigration Appeals Commission concluded that there was a “basis for the...

The first duty of any Government is national security, and we therefore welcome the court’s decision to uphold the Home Office’s position with regard to the exclusion of H6, who can now be named as Yang Tengbo. The Special Immigration Appeals Commission concluded that there was a “basis for the...

Mr Speaker, I apologise if that was the case.

Yang Tengbo—H6—was, in fact, not a lone wolf. He was one of some 40,000 members of the United Front Work Department, which, as the Government know, the Intelligence and Security Committee report last year said had penetrated “every sector” of the UK...

Mr Speaker, I apologise if that was the case.

Yang Tengbo—H6—was, in fact, not a lone wolf. He was one of some 40,000 members of the United Front Work Department, which, as the Government know, the Intelligence and Security Committee report last year said had penetrated “every sector” of the UK...

Let me first come to the point the right hon. Gentleman made about FIRS. Upon our arrival in government, we found that FIRS was not ready to be implemented, as has been claimed. Since coming into office, we have ensured that more people than ever are now working on FIRS...

Let me first come to the point the right hon. Gentleman made about FIRS. Upon our arrival in government, we found that FIRS was not ready to be implemented, as has been claimed. Since coming into office, we have ensured that more people than ever are now working on FIRS...