Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to introduce mandatory disability equality training for (a) minicab and (b) taxi drivers.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
I know that disability awareness training can provide taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers with the skills, knowledge and confidence to give disabled passengers the assistance they need, and am clear that licensing authorities should use their existing powers to require drivers to complete it.
On 12th February the Government published its response to the report of the Chair of the Task and Finish Group on Taxis and PHV licensing, indicating its intention to introduce mandatory disability awareness training as part of National Minimum Standards when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will reconsider introducing a statutory definition of (1) plying for hire, and (2) pre-booked, as recommended by the Task and Finish Group on taxi and private hire vehicle licensing.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The response to the report by the Chair of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing issued on 12 February committed to bring forward legislation to enable national minimum standards in licensing, enable greater enforcement powers for licensing officers and to establish a national licensing database to assist in the sharing of relevant information. Legislation will be brought forward when time allows.
Taxis and private hire vehicle drivers are all subject to a ‘fit and proper’ assessment; any driver who poses a risk to public safety should not be permitted to hold a licence. Drivers are permitted to undertake pre-booked work outside of the area in which they are licensed. As set out in the Government’s response, the Government will consider how restrictions on out-of-area journeys might work in practice, with a view to legislating.
The Government response to the Task and Finish Group report explained that, since the Law Commission concluded in 2014 that a statutory definition of plying for hire would not be a practical improvement on the current position and there being no change in the legal situation, the Government would not take forward that recommendation.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to restricting cross border hiring to put an end to out-of-town taxi drivers operating in areas in which they (1) do not have a licence, and (2) threaten the safety of the public.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The response to the report by the Chair of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing issued on 12 February committed to bring forward legislation to enable national minimum standards in licensing, enable greater enforcement powers for licensing officers and to establish a national licensing database to assist in the sharing of relevant information. Legislation will be brought forward when time allows.
Taxis and private hire vehicle drivers are all subject to a ‘fit and proper’ assessment; any driver who poses a risk to public safety should not be permitted to hold a licence. Drivers are permitted to undertake pre-booked work outside of the area in which they are licensed. As set out in the Government’s response, the Government will consider how restrictions on out-of-area journeys might work in practice, with a view to legislating.
The Government response to the Task and Finish Group report explained that, since the Law Commission concluded in 2014 that a statutory definition of plying for hire would not be a practical improvement on the current position and there being no change in the legal situation, the Government would not take forward that recommendation.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to legislate to reform the regulations governing the taxi and private hire trades; and if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The response to the report by the Chair of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing issued on 12 February committed to bring forward legislation to enable national minimum standards in licensing, enable greater enforcement powers for licensing officers and to establish a national licensing database to assist in the sharing of relevant information. Legislation will be brought forward when time allows.
Taxis and private hire vehicle drivers are all subject to a ‘fit and proper’ assessment; any driver who poses a risk to public safety should not be permitted to hold a licence. Drivers are permitted to undertake pre-booked work outside of the area in which they are licensed. As set out in the Government’s response, the Government will consider how restrictions on out-of-area journeys might work in practice, with a view to legislating.
The Government response to the Task and Finish Group report explained that, since the Law Commission concluded in 2014 that a statutory definition of plying for hire would not be a practical improvement on the current position and there being no change in the legal situation, the Government would not take forward that recommendation.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timescale is for bringing forward legislative proposals to make disability equality training mandatory for taxi and minicab drivers.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
I know that disability awareness training can provide taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers with the skills, knowledge and confidence to give disabled passengers the assistance they need, and am clear that licensing authorities should use their existing powers to require drivers to complete it.
On 12th February the Government published its response to the report of the Chair of the Task and Finish Group on Taxis and PHV licensing, indicating its intention to introduce mandatory disability awareness training as part of National Minimum Standards when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to respond to the recommendations on tackling discrimination against guide dog owners using taxis in the September 2018 report of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and PHV Licensing.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Government responded to the report of the Chair of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing on 12th February. The response can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/government-response-and-consultation-on-taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-licensing
As the response sets out, disability awareness training can provide taxi and PHV drivers with the skills and knowledge to assist disabled passengers appropriately, and the Government supports licensing authorities which require all drivers to complete it. When legislative time is available, the Government will reflect this requirement in National Minimum Standards.
In the meantime, the Government committed in its 2018 Inclusive Transport Strategy to undertake research to understand why some drivers continue to refuse passengers with assistance dogs, and what measures are available to challenge such unacceptable behaviour.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans are in place to improve the availability of charging facilities for electric cars in the south east of England.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has supported charging infrastructure in the South East over a number of years. This includes £1.3m of public charging infrastructure in South East England through the National Infrastructure Grant Schemes, almost £10m for two Go Ultra Low Cities schemes in Milton Keynes and Oxford and almost £1m for rapid charging for taxis in Oxford, Slough and Cambridge.
The Government now has in place a variety of UK-wide grant funding schemes to assist with the cost of installing chargepoints in motorists homes, on residential streets, at workplaces and across the wider public estate. In addition, the Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (£200m new Government investment, to be matched by private investors), announced at Budget last year, will accelerate the roll-out of charging infrastructure by providing access to finance to companies that deliver chargepoints.
The Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill gives the Government new powers to improve the provision of electric vehicle infrastructure, including powers to regulate technical standards of infrastructure to ensure easy compatibility with vehicles, to ensure provision of data on chargepoint locations and their availability, and to require provision of infrastructure at motorway service areas and large fuel retailers. Government’s wider role in the decarbonisation of road transport will be set out in the forthcoming Road to Zero strategy.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for the (a) completion and (b) publication of the report of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and PHV licensing.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
At a Westminster Hall Debate last year, the Rt Hon John Hayes MP announced the formation of a Task and Finish group to consider any regulatory issues, their causes and potential remedies. The group’s remit includes considering a range of matters such as cross-border hiring, licensing standards and the use and effectiveness of powers currently available to licensing authorities.
Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) are able to work across licensing areas to carry pre-booked fares regardless of where a journey starts or ends. PHVs are subject to a ‘triple licensing lock’ requirement i.e. the driver, vehicle and operator fulfilling the booking must all be licensed by the same authority.
The Group is nearing the conclusion of its considerations and is expected to submit its report shortly.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of illegal cross-border hiring activity by taxi and private hire drivers and operators.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
At a Westminster Hall Debate last year, the Rt Hon John Hayes MP announced the formation of a Task and Finish group to consider any regulatory issues, their causes and potential remedies. The group’s remit includes considering a range of matters such as cross-border hiring, licensing standards and the use and effectiveness of powers currently available to licensing authorities.
Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) are able to work across licensing areas to carry pre-booked fares regardless of where a journey starts or ends. PHVs are subject to a ‘triple licensing lock’ requirement i.e. the driver, vehicle and operator fulfilling the booking must all be licensed by the same authority.
The Group is nearing the conclusion of its considerations and is expected to submit its report shortly.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of private hire drivers obtaining a licences from one local authority with the intention of operating in a different licensing authority.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
At a Westminster Hall Debate last year, the Rt Hon John Hayes MP announced the formation of a Task and Finish group to consider any regulatory issues, their causes and potential remedies. The group’s remit includes considering a range of matters such as cross-border hiring, licensing standards and the use and effectiveness of powers currently available to licensing authorities.
Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) are able to work across licensing areas to carry pre-booked fares regardless of where a journey starts or ends. PHVs are subject to a ‘triple licensing lock’ requirement i.e. the driver, vehicle and operator fulfilling the booking must all be licensed by the same authority.
The Group is nearing the conclusion of its considerations and is expected to submit its report shortly.