Taipei Representative Office, London

HL Deb 18 October 2000 vol 617 c100WA

Lord Faulkner of Worcester

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will review the diplomatic status of the staff of the Taipei Representative Office in London, with a view to according them tax and legal treatment similar to that enjoyed by the United Kingdom diplomatic staff in Taipei. [HL4025]

Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale

We do not recognise Taiwan as a state and therefore do not maintain diplomatic relations. In accordance with this position, neither the staff of the Taipei Representative Office in London nor their counterparts in the British Trade and Cultural Office in Taipei have diplomatic status. The tax and legal status of the staff of the Taipei Representative Office in London have been reviewed on a number of occasions. However, because of the constraints imposed by the special position of the Taipei Representative Office, it has not so far proved possible under UK law to find a way to accord staff working in the office tax and employment concessions comparable to those enjoyed by the UK staff of the British Trade and Cultural Office in Taipei.