HC Deb 04 July 1973 vol 859 cc511-2
6. Mr. Kaufman

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what authority his Department instigated the relaxation of security measures at Heathrow Airport in the case of Sheikh Omar Saqqaf, Minister of State at the Saudi Arabian Foreign Office.

Lord Balniel

No action was taken by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in this case. Sheikh Omar Saqqaf spoke by telephone to a senior official of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who explained the purpose of the security precautions and apologised for any inconvenience which they might have occasioned. Sheikh Omar Saqqaf did not ask that any official approach should be made to the authorities at Heathrow.

Mr. Kaufman

I accept that aircraft security arrangements can be waived reciprocally for diplomats by prior arrangement, but is it not a fact that in this case the waiving of these security arrangements took place as a capitulation to the most disgraceful threats of this petulant princeling, including the threat to have this aircraft detained at Jedda airport unless the airport authorities did as he demanded? Remembering that the Khartoum massacre took place with arms smuggled into the Saudi Arabian Embassy, ought not these security restrictions to be most stringently maintained?

Lord Balniel

In general, the Government believe that it is unavoidable and right to ask even the most distinguished passengers in commercial aircraft—both in their own interests and in the interests of all passengers in the aircraft—to submit themselves to security checks. British Ministers are doing so when they travel. But the implementation, and the judgment as to how the security checks should be implemented, is a matter for the decision of the individual airlines.

Mr. Sydney Chapman

Does my right hon. Friend agree that while no one should be above any rules, regulations or laws, there is a case for tact and discretion being used by the authorities at the airport, whether in relation to a person who happens to be a sheikh of an oil kingdom or, on the other hand, a woman who, perhaps, is pregnant?

Lord Balniel

Yes. I feel that tact and discretion should be exercised, and my impression is that, generally, this is the practice of individual airlines. But I hold to the view that Ministers and other dignitaries should be aware of the grave dangers that now exist on the airlines and should be prepared wherever possible to submit themselves to this kind of search.

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