§ Mr.Warrenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last sent reminders 41W to diplomatic missions that Her Majesty's Government expect them to conform to parking regulations and to request their heads of mission to issue instructions to their staff to pay any penalties or fines incurred.
§ Mr.WhitneyThe Vice Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps' most recent letter to heads of diplomatic missions reminding them of the need for their staff to obey parking regulations was sent on 12 December 1983.
Diplomats are immune from the jurisdiction of the country in which they are serving and cannot therefore be required to pay parking fines. It is our understanding that 10 heads of mission require their staff to pay their fines. My right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Raison) gave a list of these missions to the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton) on 1 November 1983 at columns 321–2.