The Ministry of Justice publishes information on prosecutions for various offences in the Outcomes by Offence data tool: June 2022. Offences under the provisions of the Equality Act 2020 governing a blind person’s right to travel in licenced taxis with their guide dog are within 19599 – Other summary non-motoring offences.

Between January to June 2022, there were no prosecutions related to this act. Prosecutions for 2022 will be available in the next annual Criminal Justice System Statistics publication.

Details of licensing authority are not held centrally in the Court Proceedings database.

No one should be refused access to businesses or services because they use a guide or other assistance dog.

Under the Equality Act 2010 (the Act), businesses and public bodies that provide goods and services to the public must not unlawfully discriminate against disabled people, including those with assistance dogs. The Act places a duty on service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve access to premises, buildings and services. This could include allowing the use of assistance dogs so that disabled customers have the same access to goods and services and are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled customers. Taxi and private hire drivers have a specific duty under the Act to carry guide dogs and assistance dogs at no extra cost to the passenger.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published guidance for all businesses, including service providers, on this subject. The guidance explains that assistance dogs should be treated as auxiliary aids and not as pets. The guidance is available at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/assistance-dogs-a-guide-for-all-businesses.pdf and makes clear that businesses and service providers should allow assistance dogs access to buildings where dogs would normally not be permitted whenever this is reasonable.

Anybody who thinks that they have been discriminated against in the services offered to them - including where access to an assistance dog has been refused - can take legal action to resolve the issue. Before doing so, they might first find it useful to contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) which provides free bespoke advice and in-depth support to individuals with discrimination concerns via their website - http://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/, or by telephone on 0808 800 0082 or by text phone on 0808 800 0084.

We are clear that no one should be refused access to businesses or services because they have an assistance dog.

Under the Equality Act 2010 (the Act), businesses that provide goods and services to the public must not unlawfully discriminate against disabled people. The Act places a duty on service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve access to premises, buildings and services. This could include allowing access to guide dogs or assistance dogs so that disabled customers have the same access to goods and services and are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled customers. Taxi and private hire drivers have a duty under the Act to carry guide dogs and assistance dogs at no extra cost to the passenger.

In December 2017, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published guidance for all businesses, including service providers, on their duty towards disabled people who own assistance/guide dogs. The guidance explains that assistance dogs should be treated as auxiliary aids and not as pets. The guidance is available at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/assistance-dogs-a-guide-for-all-businesses.pdf and makes clear that businesses and service providers should allow assistance dogs access to buildings where dogs would normally not be permitted whenever this is reasonable.

Anybody who thinks they have been discriminated against in the services offered to them can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) which provides free bespoke advice and in-depth support to individuals with discrimination concerns via their website - http://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/, or by telephone on 0808 800 0082 or by text phone on 0808 800 0084.

Assistance dogs play a vital role in the lives of their owners, enabling them to live independently, confidently and safely. It is unacceptable that some taxi and PHV drivers continue to refuse them carriage.

Effective training is important for helping drivers to assist disabled passengers appropriately, and in December 2020, we launched the REAL training package of disability equality training to improve the transport sector’s confidence and skills in delivering inclusive journeys for disabled passengers.

The Government also remains committed to introducing mandatory disability awareness training for taxi and PHV drivers through new National Minimum Standards for licensing authorities when Parliamentary time allows.

In the meantime, we will shortly publish for consultation updated best practice guidance for local licensing authorities, including a strong recommendation that taxi and PHV drivers are required to complete disability awareness training.

I share the hon. Gentleman’s frustration, but that is actually already illegal. I am working with a number of charities, including Guide Dogs, to ensure they can complain effectively and that the local authorities handing out licences are far more diligent about who those licences go to. As I mentioned earlier, once we are able to put together a national database it will be a lot easier to stop people who have already broken the law from getting licences.

Does the Secretary of State share my concern that in response to a survey by the Guide Dogs charity, 42% of assistance dog owners reported being refused access to taxis and minicabs because of their dogs. What is he going to do in practice to ensure that all drivers of taxis and minicabs receive disability equality training?

Sections 168 and 170 of the Equality Act 2010 already require taxi and PHV drivers to accept passengers accompanied by assistance dogs without charging them extra. The Government expects drivers to comply with the law and encourages local licensing authorities to take robust action against those unwilling to do so. Drivers convicted of a relevant offence face fines of up to £1000.

The Government is considering what further action might be required to eliminate illegal discrimination against assistance dog owners, and has accepted the recommendation of the Chair of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and PHV licensing that drivers should be required to complete disability awareness training through the introduction of National Minimum Standards. We will bring forward legislation when Parliamentary time permits.

Sections 168 and 170 of the Equality Act 2010 already require drivers of taxis and PHVs to accept passengers accompanied by assistance dogs without charging them extra.

The Government expects drivers to comply with the law and encourages local licensing authorities to take robust action against those unwilling to do so.

Drivers convicted of a relevant offence face fines of up to £1000.

It is already illegal for a taxi or private hire driver to refuse carriage to a passenger on the grounds that they are accompanied by an assistance dog. Responsibility for ensuring that drivers understand their legal duties, and for taking action against those alleged to have acted discriminatorily, rests with local licensing authorities.

Responsibility for investigating alleged instances of illegal discrimination by taxi and private hire drivers, and for taking further action where appropriate, rests with respective local licensing authorities, and the Government does not collate statistics on the occurrence of individual incidents.

We plan to undertake research to understand why some drivers continue to refuse passengers with assistance dogs, and what further steps could be taken to eliminate such unacceptable behaviour.

The Government responded to the report of the Chair of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing on 12^th February. The response can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/government-response-and-consultation-on-taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-licensing

As the response sets out, disability awareness training can provide taxi and PHV drivers with the skills and knowledge to assist disabled passengers appropriately, and the Government supports licensing authorities which require all drivers to complete it. When legislative time is available, the Government will reflect this requirement in National Minimum Standards.

In the meantime, the Government committed in its 2018 Inclusive Transport Strategy to undertake research to understand why some drivers continue to refuse passengers with assistance dogs, and what measures are available to challenge such unacceptable behaviour.

My hon. Friend raises an important issue. For over a decade it has been illegal for taxi and private hire drivers to refuse assistance dogs, and I am clear that they must comply with the law. We cannot risk lowering people’s confidence and ability to travel independently. Licensing authorities have the power to stop this happening by training drivers to understand their duties and by prosecuting them when they fail to comply. We are considering the recommendations mentioned by my hon. Friend and will publish a response in due course.

The Minister will be aware that it is illegal for a taxi not to collect someone with a guide dog, yet 42% of taxis still refuse to do this. Will the Government please bring in strict new guidelines to raise awareness throughout the taxi and minicab industry?

Assistance dogs play a crucial role in enabling their owners to live independently, safely and with dignity, and it is right that the penalties for refusing their carriage in a taxi or private hire vehicle (PHV) reflect this.

Taxi and PHV drivers convicted of illegally refusing the carriage of assistance dogs already face fines of up to £1,000 in addition to costs, and may also have their license suspended or revoked by the respective local licensing authority.

We know however that assistance dog owners still face discrimination when using taxi and PHV services, and plan to investigate why this happens, and what Government and other bodies can do to prevent such unacceptable behaviour.

It is illegal for drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) to refuse the carriage of an assistance dog or to charge their owner extra.

Responsibility for investigating and, where appropriate, prosecuting drivers alleged to have refused an assistance dog illegally rests with local licensing authorities, and we encourage them to take effective action to eliminate such unacceptable behaviour.

We do not currently collect statistics on refusal incidents on board local public transport services.