§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Lord Privy Seal (1) what protests have been made by Her Majesty's Government to diplomatic missions accredited to the Court of St. James concerning their use and abuse of diplomatic privilege during each of the last five years for which records are available; which are the countries involved in each of the protests made in the last five years by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office concerning the abuse of diplomatic immunity; and what was the nature of the abuse;
860W(2) what was the response of each of the countries whose personnel were accused of a breach of diplomatic immunity of whatever nature as recorded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office during the last five years.
§ Mr. HurdThe details requested form part of confidential exchanges with diplomatic missions. Such matters are firmly dealt with.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Lord Privy Seal on how many occasions the Government have requested diplomats or those claiming diplomatic immunity to leave the United Kingdom during the last five years; what were the alleged offences on each occasion; and what countries' nationals were involved.
§ Mr. HurdThe information required is not available within the time allowed to answer this question. I shall circulate a reply in theOfficial Report.
Mr. Greville Janneraasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will publish list of all the institutions and organisations to which the United Kingdom accords privileges and immunities.
§ Mr. HurdThe diplomatic missions and those international organisations in the United Kingdom to which privileges and immunities are granted in accordance with international agreements are shown in the London Diplomatic List which is published quarterly. To this list should be added the recently-established International Maritime Satellite Orgaanisation.
aIn addition, the United Kingdom is party to agreements with number of other international organisations which are not based in this country; with the approval of Parliament their officials and the representatives of the member States are accorded certain privileges and immunities when on official business in this country.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Lord Privy Seal what representations he has made to ambassadors, high commissioners and those who claim diplomatic immunity, in the light of the recent killings and the Iranian Embassy siege, concerning the abuse of the conventions of diplomatic privilege.
861W
§ Mr. HurdAll missions in London have been made aware of the Government's views on this subject. On 9 May a circular was issued to the Diplomatic Corps outlining the grave view which would be taken of any breaches of the United Kingdom firearms regulations.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will list the number of diplomats and the number of members of families of diplomats and
862W
JUNE1980 EMBASSIES/HIGH COMMISSIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM Diplomatic Administrative and technical Afghanistan, Republic of … 2 — Algeria … 7 3 Argentina, Republic of … 21 22 Australia … 50 98 Austria … 13 16 Bahamas, Commonwealth of the … 1 — Bahrain, State of … 6 — Bangladesh, People's Republic of … 15 39 Barbados … 13 2 Belgium … 12 33 Benin, People's Republic of (non resident) … 6 — Bolivia … 12 — Botswana … 3 1 Brazil … 36 114 Bulgaria, People's Republic of … 13 27 Burma, Socialist Republic of the Union of … 4 15 Burundi, Republic of (non resident) … 5 — Cameroon, United Republic of … 15 16 Canada … 55 62 Central African Empire (non resident) … 4 — Chad Republic of (non resident) … 2 2 Chile … 16 16 China, People's Republic of … 49 63 Colombia … 13 7 Congo, People's Republic of (non resident) … 12 — Costa Rica … 6 1 Cuba, Republic of … 13 9 Cyprus … 21 9 Czechoslovakia, Socialist Republic of … 15 48 Denmark … 18 21 Djibouti (non resident) … 2 — Dominica, Commonwealth of … 2 — Dominican Republic … 7 4 Ecuador … 6 1 Egypt, Arab Republic of … 79 78 El Salvador … 1 4 Ethiopia, Provisional Military Government of Socialist … 7 4 Fiji … 5 — Finland … 16 22 France … 46 182 Gabon, Republic of … 4 — The Gambia … 6 7 Federal Republic of Germany … 48 88 German Democratic Republic … 16 16 Ghana … 36 19 Greece … 21 26 Grenada … 3 — Guinea, Republic of (non resident) … 8 — Guyana … 18 — Haiti, Republic of … 1 — Honduras … 5 1 Hungary, People's Republic of … 15 20 the number of other persons with diplomatic immunity in each diplomatic mission currently represented in Great Britain.
§ Mr. HurdThe numbers of diplomats and other staff of diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom are in the attached list. It would involve a disproportionate effort to count the individual members of the families of the persons listed. It is estimated that their total number is approximately 16,400.
863W864W865W
Diplomatic Administrative and technical Iceland 3 2 india 75 336 indonesia 15 46 Iran, Provisional, Revolutionary and Islamic Goverment of 17 5 Iraq, Republic of 45 64 Republic of Ireland 13 44 Israel 36 23 Italy 20 70 Ivory Coast 8 8 Jamaica 28 5 Japan 48 4 Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of 23 59 Kenya 23 2 Korea, Republic of 20 6 Kuwait, State of 16 — Laos, People's Democratic Republic of 2 2 Lebanon 4 7 Lesotho, Kingdom of 2 2 Liberia 6 3 Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 10 5 Luxembourg 2 — Madagascar (non resident) 2 — Malawi, Republic of 9 — Malaysia 43 21 Mali, Republic of (non resident) 1 1 Malta, Republic of 8 2 Mauritania, Islamic Republic of (non resident) 6 — Mauritius 9 7 Mexico 28 13 Mongolia, People's Republic of 3 — Morocco, Kingdom of 14 12 Nepal 4 1 Netherlands 19 59 New Zealand 23 14 Nicaragua 2 Niger, Republic of (non resident) 4 — Nigeria, Federal Republic of 101 — Norway 18 23 Oman, Sultanate of 12 — Pakistan 31 54 Panama, Republic of 13 1 Papua New Guinea 3 — Paraguay 5 — Peru 19 29 Philippines 13 21 Poland, People's Republic of 28 30 Portugal 14 46 Qatar, State of 7 — Romania, Socialist Republic of 9 23 Rwanda, Republic of (non resident) 4 — Saint Lucia 2 — Saint Vincent 1 — Saudi Arabia 42 5 Senegal, Republic of 10 3 Seychelles 4 1 Sierra Leone 27 2 Singapore, Republic of 4 3 Solomon Islands (non resident) 1 — Somali Democratic Republic 4 1 South Africa, Republic of 28 19 Soviet Union 43 45 Spain 27 123 Sri Lanka, Republic of 12 20 Sudan, Democratic Republic of 47 — Swaziland 5 2 Sweden 24 17 Switzerland 14 27 Syrian Arab Republic 21 3 Tanzania, United Republic of 12 — Thailand 27 28 Togo 5 2 Tonga 3 5
Diplomatic Administrative and technical Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of … … … 16 4 Tunisia … … … 4 — Turkey … … … 39 27 Uganda … … … 10 2 United Arab Emirates … … … 13 — United States … … … 116 213 Upper Volta, Republic of (non resident) … … … 7 — Uruguay … … … 5 — Venezuela … … … 18 26 Socialist Republic of Vietnam … … … 6 7 People's Democratic Republic of Yemen … … … 7 1 Yemen Arab Republic … … … 9 1 Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of … … … 14 30 Zaire, Republic of … … … 10 3 Zambia, Republic of … … … 18 — Commonwealth Secretariat … … … 55 311 Total … … … 2,388 3,077
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Lord Privy Seal (1) whether he will make representations to those Governments who have ratified the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations but who either are known to have or are suspected of having abused the spirit or letter of the convention; and whether he will make a statement;
(2) whether he will initiate talks with Foreign Ministers of those countries which have acceded to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations with a view to reconvening the United Nations Conference on Diplomatic Intercourse and Immunities to discuss amendments to the aforesaid convention which will tighten loopholes and abuses of diplomatic immunity;
(3) what recommendations he has made concerning diplomatic immunity and kindred problems consequential on the recent killings in London and the Iranian Embassy siege,
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Lord Privy Seal (1) what types of firearms, explosives and kindred devices have been found on inspection of diplomatic bags, premises occupied by diplomats or those claiming diplomatic immunity in each of the last five years; and what nationality was claimed in each instance;
(2) what proposals he intends to introduce to enable electronic surveillance of diplomatic baggage;
(3) what procedures are adopted when items contrary to the conventions concerning 866W diplomatic mail are found; and what is the nature of representations made by the country concerned.
§ Mr. HurdArticle 27 of the Vienna Convention lays down that diplomatic bags should not be opened or detained. Article 22 gives inviolability to diplomatic premises. On the principles involved and the practice of Her Majesty's Government I would refer to the statement which I made in the Adjournment debate of 2 June.