HL Deb 15 May 1963 vol 249 cc1296-8

2.37 p.m.

LORD MONTAGU OF BEAULIEU

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will now rule that local authorities should not employ attendants in plain clothes to supervise parking meters, in view of the remarks of the Deputy Chairman of London Sessions in the case of Regina v. Bloom.

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (LORD CHESHAM)

My Lords, the Government have no power to intervene with local authorities in this way. The manner in which the local authorities exercise their powers is for them alone to determine. But I have no doubt that they will have read the remarks of the Deputy Chairman of London Sessions.

LORD MONTAGU OF BEAULIEU

My Lords, would the Government not agree that such abuses in the administration of this scheme are likely to bring the whole scheme into disrepute?

LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH

My Lords, before the noble Lord answers that question, may I ask whether he means to tell the House that a local authority is quite at liberty to enrol civilians and employ them, in ordinary civilian clothes without any mark of distinction whatsoever, to control parking places and parking meters?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, I said that the manner in which the local authority employ their parking attendants, in a supervisory rather than a controlling capacity, is up to them; and the Government have no power to rule (to use a term of my noble friend's Question) whether they should or should not wear uniform. I think it is generally accepted in these matters that a uniformed man is preferable, but at the same time there is no power to insist that it be done in that way.

LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH

My Lords, would the noble Lord not consult his right honourable friend on this matter, in which the public could be misguided every day? It could be the subject of another Question. Surely the Minister has some responsibility to ensure that parking places put down under an Act of Parliament are properly supervised?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, I will certainly draw the noble Lord's words to the attention of my right honourable friend. I should perhaps point out to him as well that the area where meters are supervised by parking attendants is comparatively small in Greater London, because largely they are supervised by traffic wardens, who must of course be in uniform.

LORD HAWKE

My Lords, would my noble friend point out to British Railways that, were they to dress their travelling ticket collectors in plain clothes, they might reap a greater harvest?