asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any foreign secret service men guarding dignitaries from other countries visiting the United Kingdom are armed; and if so, whether permission allowing them to carry arms is granted automatically.

Personal protection for visiting dignitaries is a matter for the Metropolitan Police special branch. It is for it to decide the form the protection should take. It is not normal practice to allow foreign security officers to carry arms for protection purposes. It would not be in the public interest to disclose further details of security arrangements for visits of this nature.