§ Lord ChalfontMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are still of the opinion that the Libyan presence at a school in Chelsea poses no threat to security.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Elton)My Lords, I understand that the Jamahiriya School at Chelsea is a bona-fide educational establishment. If there were any reason to suppose that this establishment posed a threat to security, the police would take whatever action was necessary.
§ Lord ChalfontMy Lords, is the Minister aware that at any given time upwards of six cars with diplomatic number plates can be seen parked in the playground of this school, and that there is a constant coming and going of people whose appearance leads one to suppose that they have only a tenuous connection with the education of small children? Will the Minister assure the House that these premises have no form of diplomatic immunity and that there is in force a security operation which would give us early warning if the premises were being improperly used?
§ Lord EltonMy Lords, I cannot comment on the appearance of the people going in and out of the building. I am aware that a number of cars belonging to Libyan diplomats who were formerly resident in this country are parked at the Chelsea school pending their eventual disposal. The police pay close attention to the situation, but I understand that there is at present no reason to believe that there is anything untoward about the presence of the cars which are not, as the noble Lord rightly says, on diplomatic property.
§ Lord Boyd-CarpenterMy Lords, can my noble friend express similar confidence about the Libyan presents to the National Union of Mineworkers?
§ Lord EltonMy Lords, I am obliged to be strict about the rules of order and what is on the Order Paper, no matter how strong is the temptation to break them.