§ 40 and 41. Commander Courtneyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many domestic and other staff outside the categories laid down in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations are at present attached to the diplomatic and commercial sections, respectively, of the Embassies of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and other East European countries in London; and how many of these have been accorded a degree of diplomatic immunity by bilateral arrangements between the Governments concerned;
(2) how many commercial officials, not having diplomatic status within the terms of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and other East European countries, to include Press, shipping, insurance, aviation and other representatives, are at present in London; and if any of these officials enjoy a degree of diplomatic immunity through bilateral arrangements with Her Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. PadleyI regret that the Answer is rather long. The staffs of all Embassies in London fall within one of the categories laid down in Article 1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. In accordance with our bilateral arrangements, members of the administrative, technical and service staff of the Embassies of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Hungary enjoy the immunity of diplomatic agents. The question of the staff of the Polish mission raises difficult legal issues and these are at present being examined. The staff of all other Embassies enjoy the immunities specified in Articles 29–37 of the Vienna Convention. No one outside the categories laid down in the Convention enjoys any immunity either by virtue of the Convention or by virtue of any bilateral arrangements. For details of these bilateral arrangements, published in accordance 199W with section 7(2) of the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the London Gazette of the 2nd of October, 1964.
Numbers of the official commercial representatives of the Embassies of East European countries were given in reply to the Question by the hon. Member for Tynemouth on the 12th of July. I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT detailed
Members of Diplomatic Staff Members of Administrative and Technical Staff Service Staff Total Bulgaria … … 6 6 — 12 Czechoslovakia … 18 35 8 61 Hungary … … 14 8 9 31 Poland … … 13 23 8 44 Roumania … … 18 9 10 37 U.S.S.R. … … 67 36 15 118 Approximate numbers of resident representatives in the United Kingdom of the U.S.S.R. and other East European countries (outside the terms of the Vienna Convention):
Bulgaria 0 Czechoslovakia 27 Hungary 4 Poland 51 Rumania 2 U.S.S.R. 133