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12 Dec 2006 : Column 261WH—continued
As I said, our view is that the current threat does not justify permanent closure. The right and balanced approach must be to allow for temporary closure with rising bollards and checkpoints. I feel confident of that, given that closure could be achieved very quickly at the instigation of the police. That is the right balance between security and a general lack of disruption. Although we are living in difficult times, the response in respect of the embassy, as for any other building,
needs to be flexible and proportionate to the threats. I take on board the hon. Gentleman’s points, because the area that we are discussing is a terribly useful cut-through when Park lane is busy, and I go around there every now and then on my way to west and north-west London.
The temporary measures would never win any prize for aesthetics or architectural value, I hope—although plenty of things that won prizes in the ’60s and ’70s should have been knocked down before they were built. I agree with the hon. Gentleman about the aesthetics, and I suspect that the embassy does; moving towards a more permanent solution must be better.
In conclusion, I hope that what I have said, in particular about the great effort and thought that has gone into implementing security measures that have as little negative impact on the local residents as possible, will go some way to reassure the hon. Gentleman and his constituents that their concerns are, and will continue to be, treated seriously.
I take the hon. Gentleman’s point, generously put, that the embassy is not going anywhere; as he said, more eloquently than I, the local residents are not either. We need to strike a balance between the two. I have tried to show that we are sympathetic to his constituents’ concerns about their safety, their daily environment and the value of their homes. However, the longer-term solutions for the security of the embassy and the surrounding area will go some way to address those issues. The range of security measures proposed is entirely appropriate, and has the credit of being as flexible and proportionate as possible, to deal with a change in threat to the embassy, its staff and the surrounding area.
Finally, I repeat that, given the complexities, if the hon. Gentleman needs in future to raise any matter of any description about the embassy and its surrounding area, I will be happy for him to target it at me. I shall either respond myself, or ensure that the issue goes to the appropriate authorities. I appreciate that not knowing where to tag an initial inquiry, let alone secure an answer, must be as frustrating for him as it is for the residents.
With that kind and generous offer, most uncharacteristic of me, I again congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing the debate.
Adjourned accordingly at five minutes to Two o’clock.
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