§ Mr. ForthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many cab drivers convicted of assault and rape, were(a) taxicab drivers, (b) minicab drivers who had accepted fare-paying passengers illegally and (c) minicab drivers who had accepted fare-paying passengers legally in the Greater London area in the last year for which figures are available; [44688]
(2) how many minicab drivers convicted of assault and rape (a) had and (b) did not have previous convictions for a similar offence in the Greater London area in the last year for which figures are available; [44686]
(3) how many prosecutions of minicab drivers for illegally seeking or accepting fare-paying passengers there were in the Greater London area in the last year for which figures are available. [44687]
§ Mr. MichaelInformation held centrally on the Home Office Court Proceedings database does not identify the profession of offenders convicted or re-convicted of violent and sexual offences.
In 1996 (latest available), there were 132 prosecutions in the Metropolitan Police (including City of London) area for offences under section 167 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994—Touting for hire car service without a Public Service Vehicle operator's licence.
There were also 19 prosecutions recorded under the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869, but we cannot determine from the data held centrally whether any occurred under section 7 of the Act—illegally plying for hire (where a vehicle, which is not a licensed London taxi, is made available for immediate hire).
In theory, provincial taxi and Private Hire Vehicle drivers could commit either of the above offences. London taxi drivers may illegally ply for hire waiting at places which are not designated ranks, but this offence is under section 33 of the London Hackney Carriage Act 1843 and, again, we can only identify prosecutions under the whole of the Act, of which there were 71 within the Metropolitan Police (including City of London) area in 1996.