§ Mr. Mellorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedure is used when officers of foreign police forces wish to come to the United Kingdom in pursuance of their investigations of crimes such as major international frauds; and whether foreign police authorities have made any representations to him concerning the arrangements.
§ Mr. BrittanRequests by foreign police forces for assistance in the investigation474W of crime are generally made through the national central bureau of Interpol at New Scotland Yard. Assistance is normally granted provided that the inquiries relate to an offence which would be regarded as a criminal offence if it had been committed in this country and provided that the member of the foreign police force is accompanied in the United Kingdom by a British police officer. These arrangements operate satisfactorily and we have received no representations that would suggest otherwise.