Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what national security mitigations she plans to take in the context of the Chinese embassy planning application.

China’s planning application to convert the former Royal Mint buildings into its new UK embassy has been called-in by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, in line with established planning policy. The planning decision sits solely with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government in her independent, quasi-judicial role.

We are clear that national security is the first duty of Government. It has been our core priority throughout this process. The Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary submitted written representations to the Planning Inspector on 14 January. That letter is clear that the Home Office has considered the breadth of national security issues but within those conditions would not be appropriate to comment in further detail on any specific matters relating to national security.