Oral Answers to Questions — Transport – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 23 February 2017.
Alex Cunningham
Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions) (Pensions)
12:00,
23 February 2017
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of taxi and private hire vehicle regulation.
Andrew Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
At the request of the Department for Transport, the Law Commission conducted a comprehensive review of taxi and private hire regulation in England and Wales. The Government are currently considering all the recommendations in the report, against the background of a rapidly changing industry. We will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce our intentions once that scrutiny is completed.
Alex Cunningham
Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions) (Pensions)
That is useful. However, I share Stockton Borough Council’s concern at the fact that a taxi driver whose licence had been revoked following inappropriate conduct with young female passengers was able to go on working for the same company, driving a minibus. There are countless other examples, including examples of sex offenders doing likewise with public service vehicle licences. When will the Government actually do something, and change the law to close this loophole?
Andrew Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Loopholes are, of course being closed, and we are working with the Home Office on the issue, but it is critically important and has, I think, united the House before. We can have a further conversation about it outside the Chamber.
Daniel Zeichner
Shadow Minister (Transport)
The theme continues. Last month, two taxi drivers in Southend who had been stripped of their licences by the council were found to be working in the town once again, having simply gone to another authority to obtain licences. The Conservative councillor responsible for such matters has been quoted as saying that the loophole has left the council
“impotent to protect the public.”
Does the Minister think it reasonable for the council to be left “impotent”? When will the Government actually take some action?
Andrew Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In fact, we are strengthening the law in this area. The Government tabled an Amendment to the Bill that became the Policing and Crime Act 2017 to allow the issuing of statutory guidance to licensing authorities. That is obviously work in progress. This is a critical issue which is taken seriously by the Department and also by the Home Office, and action is clearly being taken.
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