Alleged Serious and Significant Offences (Diplomatic Immunity) 2018
- In 2018, three serious and significant offences allegedly committed by people entitled to diplomatic or international organisation-related immunity in the United Kingdom were drawn to the attention of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office by Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection of the Metropolitan Police Service, or other law enforcement agencies. All of these were driving-related. We define serious offences as those which could, in certain circumstances, carry a penalty of 12 months’ imprisonment or more. Also included are driving under the influence and driving without insurance.Around 23,000 people are entitled to diplomatic or international organisation-related immunity in the UK and the majority of diplomats and dependants abide by UK law. The number of alleged serious offences committed by members of the diplomatic community in the UK is proportionately low.Under the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations 1961, we expect those entitled to immunity to obey the law. The FCO does not tolerate foreign diplomats or dependants breaking the law.We take all allegations of illegal activity seriously. When the police or other law enforcement agency bring instances of alleged criminal conduct to our attention, we ask the relevant foreign Government or international organisation to waive immunity where appropriate. For the most serious offences, and when a relevant waiver has not been granted, we request the immediate withdrawal of the diplomat or dependant.Listed below are alleged serious and significant offences reported to the FCO by UK law enforcement agencies in 2018.Driving under the influence of alcohol (a) (b)Saudi Arabia 2Driving under the influence of alcohol and dangerous driving (b)Saudi Arabia 1(a) One person was responsible for the two allegations of driving under the influence of alcohol.(b) Owing to the serious nature of the alleged offences, both individuals were expelled from the diplomatic mission.Figures for the previous year are available in the written statement to the House by the Secretary for State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs’ on 18 December 2018 (HCWS1197) which can be found at: https://www. parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-12-18/HCWS1197/.[HCWS119]
Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations: Debts Owed in the UK 2018
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have held meetings with a number of diplomatic missions and international organisations about outstanding parking fine debt, outstanding national non-domestic rates payments and unpaid congestion charge debt, to press for payment of outstanding fines and debts. In 2019 protocol directorate wrote to diplomatic missions and international organisations with debts giving them the opportunity to either pay outstanding debts, or appeal against specific fines if they considered that they had been recorded incorrectly.Parking fines: Parking fines incurred by diplomatic missions and international organisations in London are brought to our attention by local councils, Transport for London and the City of London.The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has held meetings with missions which have substantial outstanding parking fine debts. In addition, in May 2019 we wrote to the debtors concerned giving them the opportunity either to pay their outstanding fines or appeal against them if they considered that the fines had been recorded incorrectly.The table below details those diplomatic missions and international organisations which have outstanding fines from 2018 totalling £1,000 or more, as of 2 September 2019.
Diplomatic Mission/International Organisation 2018
Amount of Outstanding Fines (excluding London Congestion Charge)
High Commission for the Federal Republic of Nigeria
£47,165
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
£19,765
High Commission for the Republic of Zambia
£17,000
Embassy of the United Arab Emirates
£11,565
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
£9,785
Embassy of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
£6,405
Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman
£6,115
Embassy of Libya
£5,715
Malaysian High Commission
£4,900
Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
£4,050
High Commission for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
£4,000
Office of the High Commissioner for Ghana
£3,770
Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania
£3,731
Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
£3,215
Embassy of the Republic of Iraq
£3,110
High Commission for Sierra Leone
£3,080
Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
£2,750
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
£2,655
Embassy of the State of Kuwait
£2,600
People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
£2,420
Embassy of the State of Qatar
£2,280
Embassy of the Republic of Angola
£2,210
Embassy of the Republic of the Sudan
£2,150
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
£2,005
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
£1,890
High Commission for the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
£1,885
High Commission for the Republic of Cameroon
£1,780
Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia
£1,630
Embassy of the Republic of Liberia
£1,445
Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan
£1,430
Office of the High Commissioner for India
£1,365
Uzbekistan
£1,315
High Commission of Canada
£1,260
Embassy of the Russian Federation
£1,235
Embassy of France
£1,200
Embassy of the Republic of Poland
£1,190
Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan
£1,145
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
£1,105
Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain
£1,085
High Commission for the Republic of South Africa
£1,085
Embassy of the Republic of Yemen
£1,080
Embassy of Brazil
£1,040
Royal Thai Embassy
£1,040
High Commission for Kenya
£1,020
Embassy of the United States of America
£1,015
High Commission of the United Republic of Tanzania
£1,005