§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to respond to the report of the Foreign Affairs Committee on the abuse of diplomatic immunities and privileges.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweWe expect to give our considered reply to the Foreign Affairs Committee report shortly after the Easter recess.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British diplomats abroad, broken down by country of posting, have had fixed penalty notices for traffic offences cancelled on grounds of diplomatic immunity in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. RentonIt is our policy to ensure wherever possible that members of our overseas missions do not incur fixed penalty notices for traffic offences. Records are not available centrally of such notices as have nevertheless been incurred, and information on them could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British diplomats abroad, broken down by country of posting, have had proceedings or inquiries by the police regarding traffic offences, other than fixed penalty notices, cancelled on grounds of diplomatic immunity in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RentonOur policy is that we would not expect diplomatic immunity to be unreasonably maintained in cases where waiver would be without prejudice to the work 75W of the mission. It is not our practice to give details of individual cases where facts have not been established in court. But in the past five years we know of only one case where proceedings or inquiries by the police have been cancelled on grounds of diplomatic immunity.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to the answer of 14 March to the hon. Member for Leicester, East, Official Report, column 248, concerning diplomatic immunity, he will specify the offences allegedly committed by persons enjoying diplomatic immunity in 1984 included within the category "other".
§ Mr. RentonThe three alleged offences in this category were indecent assault (two cases) and gross indecency. All three alleged offenders have been transferred from the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what, of the information sought by the hon. Member for Leicester, East regarding years prior to 1984 about offences allegedly committed by persons claiming diplomatic immunity, Official Report, columns 248–9, can be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. RentonDetails of alleged offences committed before 1982 by persons enjoying diplomatic immunity were given in June 1984 to the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs. The information which could not be provided except at disproportionate cost relates to the number of diplomats transferred before 1982 following representations by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why his Department did not keep centralised records of offences alleged to have been committed by persons claiming diplomatic immunity prior to 1982; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RentonCentralised records of offences alleged to have been committed by persons claiming diplomatic immunity have been kept since 1974 by the Home Office. Details were supplied to the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs in June 1984.