HC Deb 20 July 1984 vol 64 cc358-60W
Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list the embassies or high commissions based in London which currently have in excess of four diplomats in post with the notified description of defence or military counsellor or attaché or assistant military attaché, indicating the actual number in each case; and what restrictions he places on sending states with which the United Kingdom has correct but cool relations who wish to seek agreement for such diplomats.

Mr. Luce

The embassies or high commissions are:

Numbers
Australia 8
Brazil 12
Canada 9
Chile 6
China 5
Egypt 5
France *11
Federal Republic of Germany 6
India †25
Italy 7
Mexico 5
Nigeria ‡9
Pakistan 7
Peru 5
Soviet Union 7
United States of America 17
* Includes seven procurement staff.
† Includes three procurement and nine purchase staff.
‡ Includes one procurement member of staff.

It is not our practice to place restrictions on such appointments, for which the sending state does not need to seek agreement, even if relations with that state are correct but cool. But the overall size of all missions, including new appointments to them, and the activities of members of their staff are kept under continuous review.

Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list the embassies or high commissions in London which currently have in excess of three diplomats in post with the notified description of cultural counsellor or attaché, or assistant cultural counsellor or attaché, indicating the actual number in each case; and what restrictions he places on sending states with which the United Kingdom has correct but cool relations who wish to seek agreement for such diplomats.

Mr. Luce

The embassies or high commissions are:

Numbers
China 4
Egypt 4
France 5
Saudi Arabia 8
Turkey 4

It is not our practice to place restrictions on such appointments, for which the sending state does not need to seek agreement, even if relations with that state are correct but cool. But we keep the overall size of all missions, including new appointments to them, and the activities of members of their staff under continuous review.

Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list, for each year since 1974, by name and embassy, all persons with diplomatic status or diplomatic immunity notified to his Department under Article 10 of the Vienna convention who have been either killed or seriously wounded through non-accidental causes, such as shooting or explosions, while in post in the United Kingdom

Mr. Luce

The information is as follows:

10 April 1977 Abdullah Ali Al-Hammatni official of the Yemen Arab Republic embassy was shot and killed in London.

31 December 1977 Two Syrian embassy officials, were killed by a car bomb in Londan.

3 June 1982 Attempted assassination of Mr. Shlomo Argov, Israeli Ambassador, who was shot and seriously wounded in Londan.

3 February Mr. Mhatre, assistant high commissioner for India, murdered in Birmingham.