Chinese Embassy

Lord Fox Excerpts

Thursday 15th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

My Lords, that is a matter for the security services and not for planning.

[Lord Fox (LD)]

My Lords, the Minister is very keen on talking about material planning considerations, and she has already said that the size of the embassy is one of those. May I ask about one of the other planning considerations, which has caused a great deal of concern: the proximity of the embassy to important data infrastructure? In considering the material nature of the planning consideration, has a full risk analysis been carried out on this issue, who carried out that risk analysis, and were any mitigating issues suggested by that risk assessment?

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

As is usual with a planning application, all interested parties were able to submit representations to the planning inquiry when that took place, and they have subsequently been able to submit representations to the department as it considered this application. There were submissions from the Foreign Office and the Home Office and I am sure that very due consideration will be paid to those, in the original process and as the matter moves forward.