§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will investigate the circumstances in which Mr. William Tate of Landale road, Peterhead, was involved, as a pedestrian, in a motor accident in Palma, Majorca, which proved fatal; why Mr. Tate's family were not notified of the incident until 10 days after the incident had occurred; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WhitneyHer Majesty's consul in Palma has been instructed to request a report on the circumstances of the accident from the local authorities.
I greatly regret that Mr. Tate's family did not learn until 30 June of his death in Palma on 17 June. This was because, when he died, Mr. Tate was not carrying any means of identification. I understand that his hotel did not notice his disappearance. It was only when he did not report for his return flight that his tour agents approached our consulate, which then contacted the local authorities. The latter had, some days earlier, asked our consulate whether it had had any report of a missing Briton., but at that stage the consulate had had no such report.