HL Deb 25 May 2000 vol 613 c112WA
Lord Campbell of Croy

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the provisions in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, applying to the carriage of guide dogs for blind people in taxis, have yet been put into effect: and to what extent minicabs are included under those provisions. [HL2552]

Lord Whitty

The package of regulations relating to those provisions is being finalised now. We are taking the opportunity to extend these duties, as provided for by the legislation, by specifying other assistance dogs used by disabled people in addition to guide and hearing dogs which are included on the face of the Disability Discrimination Act. This addition has delayed final production of the package, but we aim to consult on it within a matter of weeks with the aim of bringing in the duty at the end of this year. Private hire vehicles-or minicabs as they are known—are not covered by the Act. We therefore have no powers to extend these duties to the drivers of those vehicles.