Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 18 July (HL1671), what consideration they have given to alternative solutions if a scheme of mutual recognition for the disabled persons blue parking badges with the government of Spain cannot be negotiated.

It is for individual EU Member States to decide if they will recognise a Disabled Parking Card issued in another country. Mutual recognition of parking cards across countries is discretionary and not legally binding. In Spain, local authorities are responsible for parking card verification, therefore recognition of foreign issued parking cards is at their discretion. Recognition of the UK Blue Badge in Spain was discussed as part of wider negotiations on driving licence exchange with Spain, but this has not proved to be a workable approach. UK Government advice to disabled travellers has always been to check locally in the area of travel before parking.