§ 56. Mr. Elwyn Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what restrictions now exist on the freedom of movement of British diplomatic representatives in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and of Soviet diplomatic representatives in the United Kingdom, respectively.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydThere has recently been some relaxation of the regulations restricting the movement of British and other diplomats in the U.S.S.R. They are however still required to give 48 hours' notice of all intended journeys of more than 25 miles from the centre of Moscow. About a third of the area within that radius is forbidden. Outside56W this radius large parts of the Soviet Union are also totally prohibited. They include the three Baltic States, the greater part of the Central Asian Republics, most of the frontier areas, the Ural industrial area and the main towns on the Trans-Siberian route.
In the United Kingdom Soviet diplomatic representatives can travel wherever they like. No part of the country is forbidden to them. But since March, 1952, they have been required to give 48 hours' notice of any intended journey of more than 25 miles from the centre of London. It will therefore be seen that our own restrictions are much less severe than those still in force in the Soviet Union.