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Debts owed by Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations in the United Kingdom: 2018

25 February 2020

Proposing MP
Esher and Walton
Type
Written Ministerial Statement
Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office

At a Glance

Issue Summary

The statement addresses outstanding debts owed by diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom, including parking fines, National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR), and Congestion Charge debt.

Action Requested

FCO officials have met with missions to press for payment of outstanding debts. They wrote to debtors in May 2019 offering opportunities to pay or appeal fines if recorded incorrectly. The statement provides a detailed list of organisations and the amount they owe as of specific dates.

Key Facts

  • Parking fines totalled £47,165 for Nigeria's High Commission and £19,765 for Afghanistan's Embassy in 2018.
  • Diplomatic missions pay only 6% of NNDR value due to services received such as street cleaning and lighting.
  • As of December 2018, the US Embassy owed £12,446,845 in Congestion Charge debt.
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy