§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times his Department's premises have been searched by HM Customs and Excise officers in connection with their investigations in the last five years.[69814]
§ Mr. FatchettHM Customs and Excise have never used their statutory powers to search FCO premises. There have been occasions during the course of HMCE investigations when they have examined FCO documents with the consent of the Department. But no central record of such examinations has been maintained either by HMCE or the FCO.