§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the report by Peter Hennessey (The Independent, 28th January) that "the senior diplomat in the British Embassy in Washington" has said that "United States officials say we are a part of the State Department; its as if it was one bureaucracy" is accurate, and if so, who is now responsible for British interests in Washington, given that these may not always coincide with those of the United States.
The Earl of CaithnessThe remark illustrates our good access to, and close working relationship with, the State Department. This access enables the Washington Embassy to explain every aspect of British policy, to argue our case when it diverges from American views and thus to promote and protect British interests in the most effective way.