§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to who was in possession of the Panamanian consulate premises in London when the police responded to an alleged bomb scare; what advice was given to them; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to the date and the time at which the message was received by the Metropolitan police that a bomb had been placed in the Panamanian consulate premises in London; who received the message; who was consulted; what action was taken; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggA telephone call was received by British Telecom at 11 pm on 2 March from an unknown male who stated that there was a bomb at the Panamanian consulate in Tudor street, London, EC4. The message was passed at 11.2 pm to New Scotland Yard and the City of London police were alerted immediately. There were two security guards on the premises who were advised in accordance with normal practice that the decision whether the consulate should be evacuated and searched, with police assistance, rested with them.