HL Deb 17 February 1987 vol 484 cc1086-7WA
The Duke of Manchester

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in respect of the latest completed year for which information is available, they will state, in relation to representatives and other personnel covered by the Vienna Convention the total number of offences alleged to have been committed (a) by British nationals in other countries and (b) by the nationals of other countries in the United Kingdom, indicating in each case the total number of instances for which diplomatic immunity was claimed.

Baroness Young

Our central records show only three reported offences in 1986, each involving minor traffic incidents, by British nationals covered by the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. In the same year, the police brought to our attention 98 reported offences, again mostly minor traffic violations, committed by persons with immunity in the UK. These figures exclude parking offences.

Entitlement to immunity is not dependent upon a claim to it in a particular case. It can be waived only by the sending State. We waived immunity in the three cases listed above. We request waivers in this country when the alleged offence is serious enough to justify removal of the diplomat in the absence of a waiver. In 1986 we requested waivers in respect of three persons with immunity alleged to have committed criminal offences. They were refused and the offender removed in each case.

The Duke of Manchester

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will state, in respect of the latest year for which information is available, the number of civil claims against foreign nationals reported to them on which the pursuit of legal remedy in the United Kingdom has been nullified by claims to diplomatic immunity.

Baroness Young

In 1986 we took action on three new claims against individual diplomats and 37 new claims against states relating to their diplomatic missions in London, the settlement of which could have been impeded by the existence of immunity. However, immunity may not have been an obstacle to settlement in each case. At least 41 claims were settled in full and five in part by diplomatic missions in 1986 following our intervention. Some of these claims related to earlier years.