Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of safeguards for restricted private hire vehicle licences issued by local authorities.

The Government is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which 263 licensing authorities in England administer the taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing regime. Licensing authorities must determine that all taxi and PHV drivers and PHV operators are ‘fit and proper’ to hold a licence but have flexibility on the requirements that must be met to demonstrate this. They must also ensure that vehicles are safe to carry members of the public.

The Department for Transport issues guidance to assist licensing authorities to enable the provision of safe and accessible services through proportionate regulation. The Department’s statutory guidance to licensing authorities on exercising their taxi and PHV licensing functions to protect children and vulnerable adults sets out a robust set of safeguarding measures. Licensing authorities must have regard to the guidance and my Department expects them to implement the recommendations unless there is a compelling local reason not to do so. The statutory guidance applies across taxi and PHV licensing, including licences issued on a “restricted” basis.

As recommended in the statutory guidance, all taxi and PHV licensing authorities in England (including East Cambridgeshire District Council) have advised the Department that for drivers they require the highest level of vetting available, an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and a check of both the children’s and adults’ Barred Lists.