§ Mr. WatsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the introduction of the single European Act will affect the number of taxi licences available to United Kingdom citizens(a) in respect of Hackney cabs and (b) in respect of private cabs.
§ Mr. FreemanThe European Commission has not yet formulated definite proposals relating to Hackney carriage and private hire vehicle licensing. Unless or until such time as the EC issues a directive, the domestic licensing laws of each member state will apply to applicants for licences.
At present in Scotland, England—outside—London and Wales local authorities may not refuse a hackney carriage licence unless they are satisfied that there is no significant unmet demand for hackney carriage services in the area, but no numerical controls are allowed on private hire vehicles. In London there are no numerical controls on hackney carriage licences; private hire vehicles—minicabs—are not licensed. In Northern Ireland no numerical controls are allowed on either hackney carriages or private hire vehicles.