Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will take steps to investigate the methods debt collection agencies use to pursue unpaid parking fines.

The Government is concerned about the fees and practices of some parking debt recovery agencies. On 7 February 2022 we published a draft Private Parking Code of Practice to improve the private parking sector. The Code and its enforcement framework will prevent parking operators from adding additional fees on top of the amount of the parking charge. We are also prohibiting the use of misleading and intimidatory language in communications and introducing greater protection for vulnerable customers. This includes a requirement on operators to provide information to motorists on where they can find free debt counselling or legal advice services. We intend to review the policy as part of the general review of the Code of Practice, within two years of its implementation.