§ Lord Lamont of Lerwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the speech by Lord Williams of Mostyn on 6 July (H.L. Deb., cols. 808–811), why the 168WA Government did not alert the Chilean Embassy on Friday 16 October 1998 after they had received inquiries from the police about the diplomatic status of General Pinochet, and after the Chilean Embassy had made enquiries to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the possible arrest of the Senator on that date. [HL3754]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)It would not have been proper to inform the Chilean Embassy. The approach from the Metropolitan Police about Senator Pinochet was confidential.