HC Deb 26 May 2004 vol 421 c1655W
Mr. Damian Green

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether car park operators are to be licensed by the Security Industry Authority; and if he will make a statement. [174162]

Ms Blears

The Private Security Industry Act (SIA) 2001 sets out details of conduct prohibited without a licence. If the duties of a car park operator include as part of their routine duties any such activity, they will require the relevant SIA licence.

Mr. Damian Green

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether the Security Industry Authority plans to set up a system(a) to license individual wheel clampers and (b) to license the land on which they may clamp; [174163]

(2) whether the Security Industry Authority's licensing system for wheel clamping will be backed up by a mandatory code of practice relating to (a) size of fines, (b) warning signs, (c) uniforms and (d) methods of payment; [174165]

(3) how many licences for wheel clampers on private land have been issued since 1 April 2003. [174179]

Ms Blears

Vehicle immobilisers will be licensed by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) under the authority of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, from the end of 2004. There are no powers within the Act to license the land on which clamping operations take place. The SIA will shortly publish its competency requirements for licensing purposes. These are likely to include training in requirements as to such matters as the proper use of warning signs, uniforms and methods of payment. The SIA is currently examining what role, if any, a code of practice might play in licensing.

Mr. Damian Green

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the towing away of vehicles will be brought into the licensing remit of the Security Industry Authority. [174164]

Ms Blears

In light of the Regulatory Impact Assessment undertaken last year, we have accepted the Security Industry Authority's recommendation that the towing away of vehicles should be a licensable activity and regulations to give effect to this will be introduced in due course.