Diplomatic Missions: Parking Fines

Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall Excerpts

Wednesday 21st October 2015 Lords Chamber

[The Earl of Courtown]

This problem has been going on for many years. I think that there is a particular problem at the moment with the congestion charge, as the noble Lord, Lord Berkeley, said, where some overseas diplomatic missions consider that it is a tax as opposed to a charge.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, if, as the noble Earl says, diplomatic cars and, presumably, their occupants, are inviolable, why is so much time and, indeed, parliamentary time, wasted on levying these fines in the first place?

[The Earl of Courtown]

My Lords, I do not think that parliamentary time is used in levying these fines. This is a matter for Transport for London.