HC Deb 30 March 2004 vol 419 cc1365-6W
Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the cost to local authorities of reviewing local taxi licence restrictions. [164058]

Mr. Darling

I have been asked to reply.

There should be no significant additional cost involved in the procedure outlined in the Government's Action Plan. Any local licensing authority which currently controls taxi numbers must base their policy on an assessment of local demand. Our proposals simply aim to formalise that process.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria the Government are setting for the assessment for local taxi licences' restrictions. [164060]

Mr. Darling

I have been asked to reply.

We are asking those local licensing authorities which currently control taxi numbers to review their policies to determine whether such policies are in the best interests of passengers. As stated in the Action Plan, our request to the licensing authorities will include guidelines on quantity restrictions, including a review of the level of service available to consumers and consumer choice. The guidelines will cover (i) effective surveys to measure demand, including latent demand, for taxi services; (ii) consultation with all those working in the market, consumer and passenger (including disabled) groups, groups which represent those passengers with special needs, the police, a wide range of transport stakeholders e.g. rail/bus/coach providers and traffic managers; and (iii) publication of conclusions, including an explanation of the particular local circumstances which justify restrictions, what benefits they deliver to consumers and how decisions on numbers have been reached. Authorities will be encouraged to make all the evidence gathered to support the decision-making process available for public scrutiny.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations her Department will undertake with(a) the taxi trade and (b) local authorities prior to issuing guidelines to local authorities on taxi licence restrictions and the service available to consumers. [164061]

Mr. Darling

I have been asked to reply.

We shall consult a range of stakeholders, including both the taxi trade and licensing authorities, on the draft best practice guidance which we intend to publish later this year.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what measures will be available to her Department to intervene in local authorities' decisions on taxi licence restrictions; [164062]

(2) what role her Department will play in the assessment of local conditions for taxi licence restrictions. [164063]

Mr. Darling

I have been asked to reply.

As stated in the Action Plan, we shall be asking those local licensing authorities which currently impose a numerical limit on taxi licences to justify their policy and to publish that justification every three years and in the Local Transport Plans which cover their area. We shall note what the local authorities tell us in order that we can consider if further action is needed when we carry out a review in three years' time.