8. Captain A. EVANSasked the Home Secretary the number of police officers employed on duty at private parking centres in the Metropolitan area; and whether they are continuously so employed?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe police do not supervise private parking centres, but in the case of parking places on the highway which have been duly appointed under the Minister of Transport's Regulations, the police do their best to see 1090 that the Regulations, in common with other Regulations, are not infringed. Whenever the police can be spared, they are employed in regulating the traffic and the parking of cars at two such places for 16 hours daily except on Sundays; at one other for an average of eight hours daily, and at another for eight hours daily on Monday to Friday and four hours on Saturday. All the other parking places are merely supervised by the police on patrol in the ordinary course of their duties.
Captain EVANSAre the police in addition to the attendants who are there by the authority of the Commissioner of Police—the licensed civilian attendants?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe police in uniform are totally different from the licensed attendants.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSAs I understand it, the attendant takes charge of the cars and sees that they are not stolen. The police are there to regulate the traffic which the attendant has no authority to do.
§ Colonel DAYWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the fact that the attendants have to rely upon tips for their livelihood; and is it not time they received some payment?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat matter does not arise on this question.