§ 2.49 p.m.
§ LORD VANSITTARTMy Lords, I beg to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government when, in view of the statement made in this House on February 2, they will definitely be in a position to correct the disparity between the complete diplomatic immunities accorded in this country to the staffs of Soviet Russia and the satellite countries, on the one hand, and, on the other, the severely restricted immunities granted by those countries to British personnel.]
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)The noble Lord will have seen the text of the Bill which has now been introduced to enable Her Majesty's Government to apply the principle of reciprocity in regard to the personal immunities enjoyed by members of the staff of diplomatic missions in this country.
§ LORD VANSITTARTMy Lords, I thank the noble Marquess for his Answer. My Question had, of course, been put down before the Bill was announced. I am very glad to hear that the disparity is in a fair way of being corrected.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, inasmuch as this Question is not generally concerned with diplomatic immunity but deals with the Soviet Union, may I ask the noble Marquess whether he does not consider that its timing is rather unfortunate and might do harm?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, this Bill has been "on the stocks" for some time and the noble Viscount is quite wrong in directing it in any particular direction. It is perfectly general in its terms and gives power to Her Majesty's Government to withhold or withdraw diplomatic immunity from representatives of those countries which do not extend adequate immunity to our representatives in those countries. It is perfectly general in its application.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEI was making no complaint at all about the Answer of the noble Marquess, but was permitting myself to make the observation that the Question seemed ill-timed at this hopeful moment.
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, with respect to the noble Viscount, I do not accept that suggestion in the least. The House has in the past expressed itself fairly strongly on this question of immunities, and especially in the past few weeks. Now, after some inevitable delay, due largely to the Election, the Bill has come forward, and I should have thought that noble Lords would welcome it rather than complain of the moment of its introduction.
§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords, for myself I hope that Her Majesty's Government are keeping an open mind on the whole question of diplomatic immunities, which must be discussed from a wider point of view in the near future.
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, I have of course observed the Motion standing in the name of the noble and learned Earl on the Order Paper.