HC Deb 09 February 1999 vol 325 cc212-4W
Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the Metropolitan Police contacted his Department concerning their communications with the 5th Central Magistrate's Court in Madrid on 14 October. [70294]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

The Metropolitan Police informed the FCO that they had received, via Interpol, a request from the 5th Central Magistrate's Court in Madrid to interview Senator Pinochet.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the (i) nature and (ii) frequency of the contacts made by the Metropolitan Police with his Department, between the time when the police were contacted on 14 October by the 5th Central Magistrate's Court in Madrid and the issuing of an arrest warrant for General Pinochet. [70288]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

This Department does not keep a comprehensive record of telephone calls made by officials. Until the inquiry concerning Senator Pinochet's entitlement to diplomatic immunity on the afternoon of 16 October, contacts between the Metropolitan Police and the FCO concerned only the request from the 5th Central Magistrate's Court in Madrid to interview Senator Pinochet, received on 14 October. All such contacts were by telephone.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the nature of his Department's investigations into the well-being or otherwise of General Pinochet following the incorrect news reports of the general's death in early October. [70286]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

On 9 October, our Embassy in Santiago sought clarification from the FCO about inquiries from the press in Chile about reports that Senator Pinochet had died in hospital in London. FCO officials contacted the Chilean Embassy who confirmed that the reports were untrue and that Senator Pinochet was recovering from surgery in a London hospital.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance was provided by his Department towards the travel arrangements for Senator Pinochet's planned return to Chile in late 1998. [70293]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Windsor (Mr. Trend) on 25 January 1999,Official Report, column 149.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will deposit in the Library those sections of the four reports from the British Embassy in Madrid to his Department which deal with the investigations by Judge Garzon. [70291]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) on 2 February 1999,Official Report, columns 597–98.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the diplomatic protests from the Chilean authorities following the arrest of General Pinochet made reference to promises from Her Majesty's Government to assist in the travel arrangements for Senator Pinochet's return to Chile. [70292]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

No such promises were made. Following Senator Pinochet's arrest on 16 October, the FCO received two Notes from the Government of Chile (on 17 and 23 October). Neither of these refers to promises from HMG to assist in the Senator's travel arrangements.