Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many foreign officials have been granted special mission immunity to visit the UK since March 2024; and what the (a) names and (b) country of origin are of those officials.

The purpose of special missions is a 'temporary mission, representing a state, which is sent by one state to another with the consent of the latter, in order to carry out official engagements on behalf of the sending state'. All visitors granted a special mission status would have had bilateral engagements with UK ministers and officials during their visit, pertinent to the individual bilateral relationship.

Since 1 March 2024, special mission status has been granted to four delegations:

Benny Gantz, Chairman of The National Unity Party & War Cabinet Minister of the State of Israel and two delegates, March 2024;

Lieutenant General Herzl Halevi, Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces and four delegates, November 2024;

Major General Oded Bassiuk, Head of the Operations Directorate J3 of the Israel Defense Forces and five delegates, January 2025;

Major General Tomer Bar, Head of the Israeli Air Force, July 2025.