§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to create a unit for missing persons within his Department. [56684]
§ Mr. FatchettConsular Division of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office automatically pass details of inquiries about missing persons to consular offices abroad, where consular staff check their registration records, telephone and last known address and inform the inquirer of the outcome of such research. There are no plans to create a separate unit for missing persons.
Responsibility for searching for missing people rests with the police. Where individuals go missing outside the UK, that responsibility lies with Interpol. We have no investigative powers or resources to trace missing persons. Consular Division advises inquirers to register the person as missing with their local police force, who will work with Interpol to establish their whereabouts.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has instructed Consular Division to check with those reporting missing persons whether they have turned up three months after they make the original inquiry.