Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm.

Like all taxes, Vehicle Excise Duty is kept under constant review

The Mayor of London has made no formal representations on capping the number of private hire licences in London to the Secretary of State or DfT Ministers.

The Department recognises the vital services that taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) provide for many disabled people, and is taking a number of steps to ensure that they are accessible to everyone that wishes to use them.

The Department recently amended the law to make it a criminal offence for drivers of designated taxi and private hire vehicles to refuse to carry passengers in wheelchairs, to fail to provide them with appropriate assistance, or to charge them extra, unless they hold a medical exemption certificate issued by the local licensing authority.

In addition, the Department plans to consult shortly on revised Best Practice Guidance for local licensing authorities, which will include strengthened recommendations relating to the provision of disability awareness training for taxi and private hire vehicle drivers and to authorities’ response to alleged instances of assistance dog refusal.

Under the Equality Act 2010 it is illegal for the driver of a taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) to refuse to carry an assistance dog unless they hold a medical exemption certificate issued by the local licensing authority. It is unacceptable that drivers continue to refuse assistance dogs and I strongly encourage licensing authorities to take robust action against those who are unwilling to comply. Courts already have powers to impose fines up to £1,000.

Guidance has previously been issued to licensing authorities to support their implementation of these legal protections, and we are currently reviewing Best Practice Guidance which will include strengthened recommendations relating to authorities’ response to alleged instances of assistance dog refusal.

The legislation that provides for licensing of taxi and private hire vehicle services is enabling in its nature, giving local licensing authorities the discretion to set standards and requirements that they deem to be appropriate. This includes the mandating of child exploitation and abuse awareness training.

Following Royal Assent to the Policing and Crime Act earlier this year the Department for Transport will for the first time issue Statutory Guidance, this will include specific advice on practical measures to reduce the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse of children and vulnerable adults when using these services. This guidance will be consulted on shortly.

The majority of bus services in the UK are run by private sector bus operators in a deregulated environment. Those operators have a duty to ensure their employees behave in accordance with the requirements of all relevant legislation.

The Department for Transport is currently reviewing the Best Practice Guidance on taxi and private hire vehicle licensing. Following Royal Assent to the Policing and Crime Act earlier this year the Department for Transport will for the first time issue Statutory Guidance, this will include specific advice on practical measures to reduce the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse of children and vulnerable adults when using these services.

Both parts of the guidance will be consulted on shortly.

In responding to the Disability Equality Training (Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Drivers) Private Members Bill debate in the House of Commons on the 18 November 2016, my Rt Hon Friend, the Minister of State for Transport, committed to bringing forward a package of measures to support access to taxis and private hire vehicles for disabled passengers.

The Department plans to consult shortly on revised Best Practice Guidance for local licensing authorities, which will include strengthened recommendations relating to the provision of disability awareness training for taxi and private hire vehicle drivers.

Drivers of taxis and PHVs must by law carry assistance dogs and cannot charge extra for doing so. It is therefore unacceptable that a minority of drivers continue to discriminate against owners of assistance dogs.

The Department plans to consult shortly on revised Best Practice Guidance for local licensing authorities, which will include strengthened recommendations relating to authorities’ response to alleged instances of assistance dog refusal.

At the request of the Department for Transport, the Law Commission has undertaken a comprehensive review of taxi and private hire regulation in England and Wales.

The Government is currently considering all the recommendations in the Law Commission’s report against the backdrop of a rapidly changing sector and will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce its intentions once this scrutiny is completed.

Drivers of taxis and PHVs must by law carry assistance dogs and cannot charge extra for doing so. It is therefore unacceptable that some drivers continue to discriminate in this way.

We aim to consult later this year on revised best practice for licensing authorities which will include strengthened recommendations relating to authorities’ response to alleged instances of assistance dog refusal.

The legislation that provides for licensing of taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) services is enabling in its nature, giving local licensing authorities the discretion to set standards that they deem to be appropriate. The Department does not therefore undertake assessments of the licensing requirements of individual authorities.

The Government will shortly consult on Statutory Guidance in relation to the protection of children and vulnerable adults when using taxi and PHV services. The adoption of these measures among licensing authorities will be assessed.

It is essential that taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) services are accessible to everyone wishing to use them, and it is unacceptable that a minority of drivers continue to discriminate against owners of assistance dogs.

Our upcoming consultation on revised best practice for licensing authorities will include strengthened recommendations relating to authorities’ response to alleged instances of assistance dog refusal.

At the request of the Department for Transport, the Law Commission conducted a comprehensive review of private hire vehicle and taxi regulation in England and Wales. The ability to sub-contract private hire work across licensing authority boundaries was a recommendation of the Law Commission. Section 11 of the Deregulation Act 2015 enabled this and has allowed private hire operators to work more flexibly to meet the needs of their passengers.

The Government is currently considering the remaining recommendations in the report, against the background of a rapidly changing industry. We will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce our intentions once that scrutiny is completed.

The Government is currently considering the recommendations in the Law Commission report on taxi and private hire services, including those on standard setting. We will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce our intentions once that scrutiny is completed.

The Government are currently considering all the recommendations in the report, against the background of a rapidly changing industry. We will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce our intentions once that scrutiny is completed.

At the request of the Department for Transport, the Law Commission conducted a comprehensive review of private hire vehicle and taxi regulation in England and Wales. The ability to sub-contract private hire work across licensing authority boundaries was a recommendation of the Law Commission. Section 11 of the Deregulation Act 2015 enabled this and has allowed private hire operators to work more flexibly to meet the needs of their passengers.

The Government is currently considering the remaining recommendations in the report, against the background of a rapidly changing industry. We will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce our intentions once that scrutiny is completed.

At the request of the Department for Transport, the Law Commission conducted a comprehensive review of private hire vehicle and taxi regulation in England and Wales. The Government is currently considering all the recommendations in the report, against the background of a rapidly changing industry. We will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce our intentions once that scrutiny is completed.

The Department produces statistics every 2 years on the number of taxi and private hire vehicle licences issued. The latest statistics show the position as at 31 March 2015 in England and Wales and can be found in table TAXI0104 at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/taxi-and-private-hire-vehicles-statistics-england-2015

Sections 168 and 170 of the Equality Act 2010 are already in force, and require drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles to carry assistance dogs and not make any extra charge for doing so. Drivers who are not exempt, and do not comply with these requirements can face a fine of up to £1000.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of taxi and private hire vehicle regulation.