Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Port of London Authority regarding the requirement set out in its latest draft Harbour Revision Order for property owners to pay for licences for use of balconies overhanging the River Thames; and whether it is their understanding that such a requirement will apply to the parliamentary estate.

Harbour Revision Orders (HRO), and the associated consultations for these orders are conducted by the Marine Management Organisation who handle direct discussions with HRO applicants in the majority of cases.

Unusually in the case of this HRO, the department had initial discussions with the Port of London Authority around some of its proposed changes, which would have made changes to the powers of the Department within the ports’ operational area.

The Department has been made aware of the concerns of some property owners around the issues of balcony charges, but as the order has gone to an independent public inquiry, the department judged the inquiry to be the correct body to handle this issue.

The department has not made any investigations as to whether this would apply to the parliamentary estate.