Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has she made of the potential risk of cultural exchanges of embassies of hostile states being used as a base for espionage in the United Kingdom.

We continually assess potential threats to the UK and take the protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and the security of our information extremely seriously.

Anyone seeking to conduct hostile acts against the UK, steal our information for commercial advantage, or interfere in our society covertly is liable to prosecution under the National Security Act 2023.

More broadly, diplomatic activity in the UK is governed through the principles of the Vienna Conventions which allows for legitimate diplomatic activity. Where we find evidence of any activity that goes beyond what is accredited for, this could invalidate the accreditation, and the UK would take appropriate action.