HC Deb 15 March 1949 vol 462 cc183-4W
Mr. Lennox-Boyd

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many British subjects, whose usual place of residence is in the United Kingdom, receive immunity from taxation and other privileges under the Diplomatic Privileges (World Health Organisation) Order in Council No. 136, the International Labour Organisation Order in Council No. 133 and the International Civil Aviation Organisation Order in Council No. 134; what are the nature of these privileges; and why it is necessary to confer privileges which are not granted by the Diplomatic Privileges (International Refugee Organisation) Order in Council, 1949, No. 135

Mr. McNeil

As regards the first part of the Question. I am making inquiries and will send the information to the hon. Member as soon as it is available. In any case the number affected is likely to be extremely small.

As regards the second part of the Question, the privileges proposed for the specialised agencies are those set out in the General Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialised Agencies and the Annexes thereto. These are conferred in the United Kingdom in part by Orders in Council under the Diplomatic Privileges (Extension) Acts 1944 and 1946, and in part by administrative action. A White Paper containing the General Convention and the Annexes thereto relating to the specialised agencies concerned will shortly be issued.

As regards the last part of the Question, the General Assembly of the United Nations approved the General Convention on 21st November, 1947. In accordance with the undertaking given to the House in July, 1946, privileges under the Diplomatic Privileges (Extension) Act, 1946, are not granted to specialised agencies until their privileges and immunities have been unified in accordance with the Assembly resolution on this subject. As the International Refugee Organisation has not completed its unification procedure, the Order in Council issued in respect of it only confers the privileges of the 1944 Act.