§ Mr. Cryerasked the Lord Privy Seal whether his Department has conducted an inquiry into the death of Helen Smith in Jeddah; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library.
§ Mr. HurdResponsibility for investigating such events rests primarily with the authorities of the country in which they occur. Such an inquiry is not a function of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or of an Embassy. My hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Office informed the hon. Member on 31 October about the progress of the inquiries by the West Yorkshire police. In addition, I have suggested to Miss Smith's father that if he has complaints of maladministration against the consular staff of Her Majesty's Embassy, Jeddah he should ask my hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Mr. Shaw) to request an investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office would, of course, co-operate fully with such an158W independent investigation, as we are now doing with the police inquiries.