Meetings

The Committee noted that the issue had been raised by Members in the Siambr and in the Committee for Scrutiny of the First Minister, and that the Minister for Higher and Further Education had invited those directly affected by this complex issue to contact her. Luke Fletcher MS noted that there might be some specific issues related to the UN Declaration and Wales’s role as a nation of sanctuary that the Equality and Social Justice Committee might be in a position to take up. He would provide those details to the clerking team. The Committee would write to the petitioner to urge them to take up the Minister’s offer, and thanked the petitioner for highlighting the issue before agreeing to close the petition.

The Committee considered the petition following a meeting with the petitioner prior to the meeting. Members noted that the Welsh Government is reviewing the position with respect to holders of the HKBN(O) visa, but expressed their disappointment that this won’t take place for at least two more years.

In light of this Members agreed to write back to the Minister for Further and Higher Education to query the timescale of the review and ask what barriers, if any, are preventing it from happening sooner. Members also agreed to ask the Minister to confirm how many Hongkongers might be affected by the current position, and how individuals might be able to contribute their views and experiences to the review. The letter would make the point that Wales was proud to be a Nation of Sanctuary, and note that home fee status was already available to other groups.