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My Lords, given the recent warnings to parliamentarians about Chinese intelligence officers seeking to cultivate relationships with them, and the evidence that we have of Chinese agents paying people who work for MPs, would it not be appropriate to rule out permission for the huge Chinese embassy, which may act as a centre for spying operations, undermining democracy in this country and threatening citizens of other countries who campaign for democracy?
My Lords, given the recent warnings to parliamentarians about Chinese intelligence officers seeking to cultivate relationships with them, and the evidence that we have of Chinese agents paying people who work for MPs, would it not be appropriate to rule out permission for the huge Chinese embassy, which may act as a centre for spying operations, undermining democracy in this country and threatening citizens of other countries who campaign for democracy?
The noble Lord will know that there is a judicial process ongoing about the application for the new embassy for the Chinese authority. As part of that ongoing discussion, the Home Office and security services have been consulted. There will be an outcome, but that outcome has not yet been made, and the noble Lord tempts me to opine on matters which are still under consideration pending legal discussion. I cannot offer him any solution today, except to say that it is absolutely vital that any foreign country knows that the UK Government will not accept the type of influence that he has mentioned.