The Government recognises the importance of clean, safe public toilet provision for all and has taken steps to support this. The Government will provide over £5.6 billion of new grant funding towards local government services, such as toilets, over the next three years. In addition, we continue to provide 100% mandatory business rates relief for separately assessed public toilets, reducing ongoing costs for local authorities.

The commercial arrangements between private hire vehicle drivers and the operators they work with or for are, subject to any legal requirements, a matter for those parties.

The Department for Transport has not issued specific guidance to developers of navigation or private hire applications but engages with industry and monitors how these technologies are used in practice.

The law is clear; drivers are responsible for maintaining proper control of their vehicle and always paying attention to the road. It is illegal to hold and use a mobile phone or similar device whilst driving, including when a vehicle is stopped in traffic or at traffic lights. Where a driver is distracted or not in proper control of their vehicle, enforcement is an operational matter for the police.

The Government will continue to assess the benefits of such technologies while supporting the development of safer, distraction‑minimising systems.

The Department for Transport has not issued specific guidance to developers of navigation or private hire applications but engages with industry and monitors how these technologies are used in practice.

The law is clear; drivers are responsible for maintaining proper control of their vehicle and always paying attention to the road. It is illegal to hold and use a mobile phone or similar device whilst driving, including when a vehicle is stopped in traffic or at traffic lights. Where a driver is distracted or not in proper control of their vehicle, enforcement is an operational matter for the police.

The Government will continue to assess the benefits of such technologies while supporting the development of safer, distraction‑minimising systems.

The Department for Transport has not issued specific guidance to developers of navigation or private hire applications but engages with industry and monitors how these technologies are used in practice.

The law is clear; drivers are responsible for maintaining proper control of their vehicle and always paying attention to the road. It is illegal to hold and use a mobile phone or similar device whilst driving, including when a vehicle is stopped in traffic or at traffic lights. Where a driver is distracted or not in proper control of their vehicle, enforcement is an operational matter for the police.

The Government will continue to assess the benefits of such technologies while supporting the development of safer, distraction‑minimising systems.

Ministers and officials are engaging with the sector and other stakeholders to consider the reforms necessary to modernise taxi and private hire vehicle legislation to make everyday journeys safer, fairer and easier; strengthening public safety, removing barriers for disabled passengers, and reflecting how people travel today. A draft Bill for parliamentary scrutiny will be brought forward during this parliamentary session.

Medical suitability to hold a taxi or private hire vehicle driver licence is a matter for licensing authorities not the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

The Department for Transport’s guidance to licensing authorities in England on the medical suitability of drivers is that they should seek the same information to inform their decision as required by the DVLA for category C and D licences (Group 2) required for an entitlement to driver lorries (category C) and for buses (category D). All initial category C and D licence applications require a medical assessment by a registered medical practitioner - recorded on the D4 form, this does not need to be the applicant’s GP. It is suggested in the Department’s guidance to licensing authorities that that the DVLA’s medical examination report (D4) is used as a template to gather relevant information.

The guidance is clear that it is the responsibility of licensing authorities to assess the medical information they receive and decide whether a taxi or private hire vehicle licence should be issued.

The administration of taxi and private hire vehicle licensing is a matter for individual licensing authorities. The Department does not collect data on the impacts of local licensing processes, but expects authorities to administer them efficiently, with public safety as the overriding priority.

The administration of the taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime is a matter for licensing authorities. The Department does not collect data on the processing times of licence applications but expects authorities to administer the system efficiently, including the processing of all applications when they have the necessary information.

The Department’s best practice guidance to licensing authorities in England makes clear that taxi and private hire vehicle licensing is a statutory function, and it is important for authorities to consider how best to deliver this service in a timely and efficient manner.

The Department for Transport is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which local licensing authorities in England license the taxi and private hire vehicle trades but ultimately the licensing process is left at the discretion of local authorities. We work closely with Transport for London on a range of issues but the operation of private hire driver licensing is a matter solely for them.

The Department does not collect data on the processing times of licence applications but expects authorities to administer the system efficiently, including the processing of all applications when they have the necessary information.

The Department’s best practice guidance to licensing authorities in England makes clear that taxi and private hire vehicle licensing is a statutory function, and it is important for authorities to consider how best to deliver this service in a timely and efficient manner.

The Department’s statutory guidance recommends that licensing authorities require driver licence applicants to provide an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and to subscribe to the DBS Update Service, to enable a status check to be carried out at least every six months. Where a driver is not subscribed to the Update Service, the guidance recommends that a new DBS certificate is provided. This helps ensure that licensing authorities have access to up‑to‑date information when considering whether a licence should be granted or retained.

The administration of taxi and private hire vehicle licensing is a matter for individual licensing authorities. The Department does not collect data on the impacts of local licensing processes, but expects authorities to administer them efficiently, with public safety as the overriding priority.

The operation of the DBS Update Service, including its subscription requirements, is a matter for the Home Office.

The department recognises the importance of proficiency in English language. That’s why its existing statutory guidance recommends that all licensing authorities should require taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to demonstrate written and oral English language proficiency. Licensing authorities are responsible for deciding how English language proficiency is demonstrated. As of 1 April 2024, 81% of licensing authorities in England reported that they required the taxi drivers they license to demonstrate English language proficiency and 82% of licensing authorities in England reported that they required the private hire vehicle drivers they license to demonstrate English language proficiency.

The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.

The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.

The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.

No guidance has been issued on this matter. An ‘operating base’ is not defined in law. All guidance is kept under review and the need for any amendments or additions considered. The Department consulted on revised best practice guidance in 2022 and it was subsequently updated in 2023.

The licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of taxis and private hire vehicles could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need.

The Government response to Baroness Casey’s National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse committed to legislate to tackle the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) driver licensing. As a first step, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill seeks a power for the Secretary of State to set national standards for taxi and PHV licensing and to enable the suspension, with immediate effect, of any licence issued by any authority in whose area it is being used if such action is needed to protect public safety.

If passed, this would enable government to set robust standards for licensing right across England and provide licensing authorities with greater powers to keep vulnerable children and, indeed, all members of the public safe, wherever they live or travel.

The Department continues to consider further options for reform, including out-of-area working and enforcement. We need to ensure that taxis and PHVs are able to work in a way that facilitates the journeys passengers want and need to make, in a consistently safe way, whilst achieving the best overall outcomes for passenger safety.

The Government is currently consulting on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and PHV licensing. Administering licensing across larger areas would further increase consistency in licensing and enable better resourced authorities to make better use of their current and proposed enforcement powers.

The Department for Transport’s view is that compliance with any legislation is a relevant consideration in assessing the suitability of a holder of any taxi and private hire vehicle licence.

The Government response to Baroness Casey’s National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse committed to legislate to tackle the inconsistent standards of taxi and PHV driver licensing. As a first step, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill seeks a power for the Secretary of State to set national minimum standards for taxi and PHV licensing. The power was approved by the House of Commons, and the Bill is now being considered by the House of Lords.

If passed, this would enable government to set robust standards for licensing right across England, to keep vulnerable children and, indeed, all members of the public safe, wherever they live or travel.

The Department continues to consider further options for reform, including out-of-area working and enforcement. We need to ensure that taxis and PHVs are able to work in a way that facilitates the journeys passengers want and need to make, in a consistently safe way, whilst achieving the best overall outcomes for passenger safety. The Government is currently consulting on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and PHV licensing. Administering licensing across larger areas would further increase consistency in licensing and enable better resourced authorities to make better use of their enforcement powers.

The Department’s existing statutory guidance recommends that licensing authorities should require taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers to undertake an enhanced DBS and barred lists check as part of its licensing processes. All licensing authorities in England have advised that they require this.

The Government response to Baroness Casey’s National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse committed to legislate to tackle the inconsistent standards of taxi and PHV driver licensing. As a first step, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill seeks a power for the Secretary of State to set national minimum standards for taxi and PHV licensing. The power was approved by the House of Commons, and the Bill is now being considered by the House of Lords.

If passed, this would enable government to set robust standards for licensing right across England, to keep vulnerable children and, indeed, all members of the public safe, wherever they live or travel.

The Department continues to consider further options for reform, including out-of-area working and enforcement. We need to ensure that taxis and PHVs are able to work in a way that facilitates the journeys passengers want and need to make, in a consistently safe way, whilst achieving the best overall outcomes for passenger safety. The Government is currently consulting on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and PHV licensing. Administering licensing across larger areas would further increase consistency in licensing and enable better resourced authorities to make better use of their enforcement powers.

The Department’s existing statutory guidance recommends that licensing authorities should require taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers to undertake an enhanced DBS and barred lists check as part of its licensing processes. All licensing authorities in England have advised that they require this.