Taxi drivers across England are set to face “rigorous vetting” under new licensing reforms, a minister has confirmed, as the government moves to address concerns over passenger safety and exploitation.
The proposed changes, part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, will introduce a national minimum standard for drivers, specifically targeting problems associated with out-of-area working.
Local government minister Miatta Fahnbulleh stated these standards would prioritise “safeguarding passengers and improving accessibility”.
The move follows Baroness Casey’s audit, which highlighted “many cases of group-based child sexual exploitation” linked to taxi services.
Speaking at the Bill’s report stage, Ms Fahnbulleh told MPs: “The powers sought are necessarily broad, so that we can make sure that the new powers catch all complexities of the current legislative framework.
“National minimum standards will set a high but proportionate standard for licensing that is focused on safeguarding passengers and improving accessibility of these services for everyone.
“This means that people, particularly those who rely on these services the most, such as women and girls and people with disabilities, can be reassured that the drivers, such of these services, have undergone rigorous vetting where they are in the country, wherever they are in the country.
“This is an important first step to tackle some of the issues that have arisen from the practice of out of area working.
“In addition, we will be consulting shortly on making local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicles, further strengthening the regulation of the sector, and we will continue to build on these reforms in the weeks and months ahead.”
Transport committee chair Ruth Cadbury told MPs of the need for common standards across England that were “not basic minimum standards, but high and absolute standards”.
The Labour MP said her committee’s inquiry on taxis and private hire vehicles had found that the lack of common standards encouraged “licence shopping”, whereby drivers chose to be licensed in local authorities that had the least onerous standards, even if most of their work took place elsewhere.
Ms Cadbury said: “When people get in a taxi or a cab, they want to know that they’ll be safe, that the vehicle is safe, that the driver has had training in a range of different situations, and that their specific access needs or disabilities will be recognised and supported, and that they will be treated with respect.”
She welcomed Government amendments to the Bill that would enable the Transport Secretary to “prescribe standards and for granting, renewing, suspending and revoking driver and operator licences”.
The broad Bill will expand the powers of regional mayors and create a tiered system of strategic authorities.
Transport, planning and housing will be devolved to new unitary local authorities, under its proposals.
The legislation also proposes to automatically designate sports grounds which hold more than 10,000 spectators as Sporting Assets of Community Value (SACV).
Communities will have the first right of refusal when a facility is put up for sale – a change from the current system where grounds are sold to the highest bidder.
Ms Fahnbulleh said: “The Government recognises how much communities value their local sports ground as spaces that foster local pride, belonging and identity.
“The Bill will automatically designate grounds across England as sporting assets of community value, ensuring that these essential local spaces are protected.
“We have introduced a new 16-week review period for communities seeking to purchase a sporting asset of community value, accommodating over 10,000 spectators.”
Labour MP Chris Hinchliff noted a “slight oversight” in the Bill, arguing that “despite its title, it does not actually give communities any substantially new powers”.
The North East Hertfordshire MP said: “The strengthening of tools local people have at their disposal to purchase assets of community value are certainly very welcome progress, yes, but not fundamentally new.”
He advocated for a “charter of community rights”, which would include seven key elements, including a right to a clean and healthy environment.
Shadow levelling up minister David Simmonds claimed the Bill was “this Government’s botched and incoherent restructuring”.
The Conservative frontbencher said: “When we look at this Bill, what we see is legislation that makes a complete mess of local democracy: elections cancelled, then deferred, announcements of new mayors that then don’t make it through to the final announcements about new structures.
“It is a Bill which takes powers away from communities and gives them to mayors who, as we heard earlier on in the debate in the case of Surrey, may not materialise at all.
“It devolves nothing of any significance closer to our constituents, and it seeks to make our local elected councillor brethren simply hosts of talking shops rather than decision-makers for their local community.
“And worst of all, despite the Government’s occasionally lofty rhetoric, it abolishes 90% of the representation of Shire England at the stroke of a bureaucrat’s pen.
“Where is the voice for our constituents in local government under this centralising Labour government?”
The Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons by 322 votes to 179, majority 143. It is now set to be scrutinised by the House of Lords.
