§ Baroness McIntosh of Hudnallasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many serious offences were allegedly committed in 2002 by persons entitled to immunity by virtue of their employment by a diplomatic mission or an international organisation, and by their dependants. [HL4233]
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§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)From a community of around 20,000 in the United Kingdom entitled to immunity, 20 serious offences, allegedly committed by such persons, were drawn to the attention of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2002. "Serious Offences" are defined in accordance with the 1985 White Paper on Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges—that is as offences that would in certain circumstances, carry a penalty of 12 months or more imprisonment.
§ Baroness McIntosh of Hudnallasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish figures recording the number of outstanding parking and other minor traffic violation fines incurred by diplomatic missions during the year ending 31 December 2002. [HL4234]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanThe figures recorded for the number of outstanding parking and other minor traffic violation fines incurred by diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom during the year 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002 totalled 4,302 (£173,180.00). In April this year the Foreign and Commonwealth Office wrote to all affected diplomatic missions and international organisations giving them the opportunity to either pay their outstanding fines or appeal against them if they considered that the fines had been issued incorrectly. As a result payments totalling £52,200.00 were received, leaving a total of 3,021 (£120,980.00) unpaid fines for 2002. The following table details those diplomatic missions and international organisations that have 11 or more undisputed fines unpaid.
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Diplomatic mission/international organisation No. of fines outstanding Amount in £ United Arab Emirates 323 12,830.00 Libya 226 8,940.00 China 195 7,790.00 Egypt 97 3,790.00 France 81 3,290.00 Algeria 80 3,020.00 Ghana 72 2,870.00 Morocco 71 2,970.00 Ukraine 71 2,840.00 Oman 69 2,710.00 Russia 67 2,670.00 Greece 59 2,350.00 Turkey 59 2,480.00 Iran 56 2,190.00 Uganda 52 2,100.00 Senegal 51 2,040.00 Yemen 50 1,970.00 Hungary 48 1,960.00 Philippines 44 1,760.00 Pakistan 42 1,690.00 Afghanistan 38 1,520.00 Mozambique 38 1,520.00 Vietnam 38 1,520.00 Mongolia 37 1,470.00 Kazakhstan 37 1,440.00 Tunisia 36 1,440.00 Qatar 34 1,170.00 Jordan 31 1,280.00
Diplomatic mission/international organisation No. of fines outstanding Amount in £ Sudan 31 1,220.00 Zambia 31 1,210.00 Ethiopia 30 1,180.00 Kenya 30 1,200.00 Cyprus 28 1,140.00 Malaysia 26 1,040.00 Poland 25 1,000.00 United States of America 23 920.00 Georgia 23 930.00 Romania 21 880.00 Brazil 20 790.00 Commonwealth Secretariat 19 780.00 Cote D'Ivoire 19 770.00 Azerbaijan 18 740.00 Indonesia 18 720.00 Panama 18 740.00 Lithuania 17 660.00 Uzbekistan 17 670.00 Finland 16 680.00 Japan 16 640.00 Bahrain 15 610.00 Belgium 14 580.00 Peru 13 520.00 Bangladesh 13 520.00 Nepal 13 520.00 Nicaragua 13 520.00 Thailand 13 520.00 Albania 12 480.00 Latvia 12 470.00 Kuwait 11 500.00 Germany 1! 480.00 South Africa 11 430.00 Total 2,698 107,680.00