§ 4. Mr. Andrew MacKayasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on his review of diplomatic immunity granted to representatives at the Court of St. James.
§ Mr. RifkindMy right hon. and learned Friend made a detailed statement on international terrorism and the Vienna convention to the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs on 18 July. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. MacKayWhen my hon. Friend reviews diplomatic immunity, will he take into account the fact that it is widely believed that substantial amounts of drugs are coming into the country through diplomatic bags? Anything that he can do to intervene helpfully will considerably aid the fight against this trade in death.
§ Mr. RifkindMy hon. Friend will be aware that Her Majesty's Government are worried about any abuse of the diplomatic bag that may be taking place. That is being considered as part of the review that my right hon. and learned Friend has announced.
§ Mr. MaclennanHas the Minister or any of his colleagues seen fit to make representations to the Government of Pakistan about this?
§ Mr. RifkindI am not aware of any specific representations to the Government of Pakistan.
§ Sir John Biggs-DavisonAre not the ranks of many foreign missions swollen by numbers of people who are not diplomats but subversive agents? Will Her Majesty's Government seek to ensure that the level of representation here is about the same as in the corresponding overseas country?
§ Mr. RifkindWe are naturally concerned if anyone in this country ostensibly as a diplomat is found to be carrying out functions inconsistent with his diplomatic status. However, it is not unreasonable that some missions should have larger numbers of staff in the United Kingdom than we have in their countries. London is a great international centre, and as such is often considered to be one of the most important areas of diplomatic representations in the world.