PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
London Policing College: China (5 July 2022)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the working relationship between the London Police College (LPC) and the Metropolitan Police Service, in the context of historic LPC programmes in China with potential links to organisations that have been accused of human rights violations.

Asked by:
Sir Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative)

The London Policing College (LPC) is an independent organisation which includes retired officers from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and is independent to the Home Office and UK Government. The Home Office has no formal relationship with the LPC.

In 2019, the British Council awarded funding to LPC as part of a regional programme to improve international teaching standards in police education in the target countries. This included efforts to reduce human rights violations.

The British Council have confirmed that they have never funded any activities involving Xinjiang security bodies. LPC have also confirmed that no Xinjiang security bodies were involved in the programme and that they have now ceased all programme partnerships with China.

Answered by:
Tom Pursglove (Conservative)
11 July 2022