Written question asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 16 December 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 11 January 1999. It was answered by Glenda Jackson (Labour) on Monday, 11 January 1999 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will delay implementing regulations on taxi accessibility until the Government has (a) considered the representations which it has received and (b) undertaken a study into the economic effects of the regulations and their timing; and if he will make a statement. - Inc ref to Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Answer: Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will delay implementing regulations on taxi accessibility until the Government have (a) considered the representations which it has received and (b) undertaken a study into the economic effects of the regulations and their timing; and if he will make a statement. [64975] Ms Glenda Jackson: We are committed to introducing the taxi provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. We have completed a first round of consultation and we have considered the wide range of representations made by the taxi industry, local authorities and disabled people. There will be a further round of consultation later this year on the draft regulations. The consultation will include a Regulatory Impact Assessment, part of which is an assessment of the economic effects of compliance. This will be based on an independent study carried out by Cranfield University.

Secondary information