Wrekin MP raises security concerns in Parliament

Security concerns regarding a Chinese embassy project have been raised in Parliament by Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard.

The plans for the site in London involve 614,000 square feet of office space, residences and tunnels.

The development is situated near sensitive communication lines and fibre-optic cables that support the internet network in the capital.

Mr Pritchard spoke in response to a statement by Seema Malhotra MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

He called on the government to consider the security implications of major planning decisions to ensure the nation is kept safe.

The MP requested that the Intelligence and Security Committee be given the opportunity to question the National Security Adviser about the plans.

He also suggested that the number of Chinese diplomats at the site should be controlled.

Mark Pritchard MP said:

“The government needs to confirm that the UK intelligence community has not objected to the proposed new Chinese embassy, which would be the largest Chinese diplomatic mission in Europe. China is an important trading and economic partner, but that does not mean the government should ignore security concerns raised in Parliament.”

Seema Malhotra MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, replied that national security remains a priority for the government and is a matter of concern for the Home Office.

She said:

“The UK does have control over the number of diplomats in the United Kingdom, as per the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations. We follow our legal obligations and have in place robust systems to ensure that any diplomatic positions at the Chinese embassy are approved on a case-by-case basis.”