HC Deb 02 June 1954 vol 528 cc1259-62
8. Sir H. Williams

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will furnish an estimate of the number of aliens and British subjects who, over the next five years, are likely to receive temporary immunity under the International Organisations (Immunities and Privileges of the Universal Postal Union) Order, 1954, and the corresponding estimate of the number of United Kingdom British subjects who will be granted similar immunity in other countries.

9. Sir W. Wakefield

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will furnish an estimate of the number of aliens and British subjects who, over the next five years, are likely to receive temporary immunity under the International Organisations (Immunities and Privileges of the World Meteorological Organisation) Order, 1954, and the corresponding estimate of the number of United Kingdom British subjects who will be granted similar immunity in other countries.

10. Mr. Pitman

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will furnish an estimate of the number of aliens and British subjects who, over the next five years, are likely to receive temporary immunity under the International Organisations (Immunities and Privileges of the International Telecommunication Union) Order, 1954, and the corresponding estimate of the number of United Kingdom British subjects who will be granted similar immunity in other countries.

11. Mr. Burden

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will furnish an estimate of the number of aliens and British subjects who, over the next five years, are likely to receive temporary immunity under the International Organisations (Immunities and Privileges of the Customs Co-operation Council) Order, 1954; and the corresponding estimate of the number of United Kingdom British subjects who will be granted similar immunity in other countries.

Mr. Nutting

Representatives of the United Kingdom will no doubt be attending meetings of all these organisations in different countries in the course of the next five years and will receive the appropriate immunities, but I cannot estimate the number of persons involved. So far as I am aware, no plans have been made for any meetings of these organisations to be held in the United Kingdom during this period; and I am not therefore able to say how many persons, if any, will enjoy the immunities and privileges set out in these Orders.

Sir H. Williams

Can my hon. Friend say why anybody attending these very routine kind of meetings should have the high privilege of diplomatic immunity? It used to be restricted, under a very old Act of Parliament, to ambassadors and their immediate servants. What is the reason for this extension of diplomatic immunity?

Mr. Nutting

The first reason, of course, is the growth of international organisations. My hon. Friend will realise that it has been prodigious since the end of the war, and Her Majesty's Government have consistently advocated that the granting of privileges and immunities should be restricted to the minimum. But we have acceded to the Specialised Agencies Convention in respect of representatives of specialised agencies at the United Nations, and under that we are called upon to grant to anyone visiting this country to attend meetings of these international organisations the privileges and immunities specified in the Convention.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Does not the answer of the Under-Secretary mean that a large number of British delegates will certainly receive these immunities abroad while probably a very small number will receive them here?

Mr. Nutting

I would prefer not to specify whether the numbers will be large or small either way. What I want the House to realise is that full reciprocity will be granted.

Sir H. Williams

Can my hon. Friend say why it is desirable that British subjects travelling abroad should have these immunities? Under what justification are they entitled to misbehave themselves?

Mr. Nutting

I do not admit for one minute that British subjects travelling as representatives of this country will misbehave themselves. I think that is a most extraordinary suggestion. In addition, may I inform my hon. Friend that they are engaged in important diplomatic business and therefore should have the immunities corresponding to their duty.

Mr. Fernyhough

In view of the fact that five of the Questions on the Order Paper are in identical terms to the Question of the hon. Member for Croydon, East (Sir H. Williams), can the Under-Secretary say who sponsored or inspired them, and whether it was official or unofficial?

Captain Duncan

Can my hon. Friend confirm that no British resident gets diplomatic immunity for meetings in this country?

Mr. Nutting

Only United Kingdom citizens who are members of the secretariats of the organisations will receive immunities or privileges in this country, save in the case of the Council of Europe, where members of Parliament from this country attending as representatives of the Council of Europe Assembly will, of course, receive the same immunities and privileges as Members of Parliament receive anywhere in this country.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Which is none at all.

14. Sir W. Smithers

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will furnish an estimate of the number of aliens and British subjects who, over the next five years, are likely to receive temporary immunity under the International Organisations (Immunities and Privileges of the Council of Europe) (Amendment) Order, 1954, and the corresponding estimate of the number of United Kingdom British subjects who will be granted similar immunity in other countries.

Mr. Nutting

The number of persons who would receive temporary immunity under this Order is unlikely to exceed 20 in any one year. United Kingdom representatives and their staffs who qualify for temporary immunity while attending meetings of the Council abroad have, in the past, numbered about 40. I naturally cannot state whether the numbers will be the same in the future.

Sir W. Smithers

Will my hon. Friend give an undertaking that Her Majesty's Government will take all possible steps to prevent Communist agents coming to this country under this cover?

Mr. Nutting

I can reassure my hon. Friend on two counts; first, that Her Majesty's Government take all the necessary precautions to ensure that Communist agents do not reach this country. In the second place, we have the additional safeguard that no Communist Government or State belong to the Council of Europe.