§ Mr. Geoffrey Finsbergasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the tariff application of the London cab trade.
§ Dr. SummerskillI would refer the hon. Member to my reply earlier today to a Question from the hon. Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes).
§ Mr. John H. Osbornasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is now the index or average cost per mile for the hire of taxi cabs in the London area, the provinces and the country as a whole, respectively; and how this compares with the comparative indices or costs for 1st April 1975, 1974 and 1970.
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§ Dr. SummerskillThe cost per mile of a hiring in London varies according to the length of the journey, the number of persons carried, the time of day and other factors. Similar variations apply outside London. For these reasons it is impossible to calculate a single average cost per mile for taxi fares. For reasonably typical journeys the average cost per mile in London might range from around 20p to 30p. For earlier years the comparable London figures would have been 17p to 22½p—1st April 1974—and 13p to 18p—1st April 1970—but changes in the fare structure during this period make strict comparisons impossible. Outside London the range over the period as a whole would be broadly comparable, with a tendency at present for the fares outside London to be slightly higher.