The Earl of Carlisleasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why members of the diplomatic service are not allowed to receive honours and awards at the end of their service from the nations to which they are accredited: and whether they will review the current policy.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)The prohibition applies to all Crown Servants to whom honours are offered by foreign governments and forms part of the general regulations (the Foreign and Commonwealth Orders Regulations—a copy of which is in the Libraries of the House) governing the acceptance and wearing of foreign honours. These regulations reflect the long-standing position that recognition of service under the Crown is primarily for the Sovereign, as well as the desirability of avoiding both the proliferation of exchanges of honours and the imputation of partiality on the part of Crown Servants receiving foreign awards.
The specific reference in the regulations to awards for diplomats on leaving post recognises the special nature of diplomacy and reflects the danger that unrestricted bestowal of foreign honours on British diplomats would be likely to lead to demands for reciprocity which would be difficult to refuse, and which could result in an undesirable proliferation of token awards and loss of control over our own honours. The policy on awards for diplomats has been reviewed, and upheld, from time to time. There are no plans to change it at present.