Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-04-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what procedures his Department puts in place when a person benefitting from diplomatic immunity commits a crime in the UK.

James Duddridge

In accordance with Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office expects all foreign diplomats and members of their families in the UK to abide by UK laws at all times. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office treats all allegations of criminal offences committed by those with diplomatic immunity seriously. We work closely with diplomatic missions in the UK and the police or other law enforcement agencies to ensure an appropriate response to all allegations. If an allegation requires further investigation, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will request a waiver of the diplomat’s immunity for the purpose of investigation by the police from the diplomatic mission concerned. Failure to provide a waiver may result in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office demanding the withdrawal of the diplomat.

Further answers to recent questions about alleged criminal conduct by foreign diplomats based in the UK and waivers of immunity can be found in the Official Report (24113, 26534 and 26535).