To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage local authorities to provide appropriate waiting areas and toilet facilities for licensed taxi and private hire drivers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage local authorities to provide appropriate waiting areas and toilet facilities for licensed taxi and private hire drivers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of fare-setting practices by digital private hire operators on the financial sustainability of licensed private hire drivers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of fare-setting practices by digital private hire operators on the financial sustainability of licensed private hire drivers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of whether the current legal framework on employment status adequately protects licensed private hire drivers working through digital platform operators.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of whether the current legal framework on employment status adequately protects licensed private hire drivers working through digital platform operators.

I attended the AI summit in India, and right across the world all countries and many companies—certainly tech companies—are at the forefront of this opportunity. We have to get the governance right, and of course we have to test and re-test to ensure safety. Anything on our roads would of course be tested and licensed by the Department for Transport. I do not think we can stand in the face of innovation.

I attended the AI summit in India, and right across the world all countries and many companies—certainly tech companies—are at the forefront of this opportunity. We have to get the governance right, and of course we have to test and re-test to ensure safety. Anything on our roads would of course be tested and licensed by the Department for Transport. I do not think we can stand in the face of innovation.

Q8

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Ayoub Khan (Birmingham Perry Barr) (Ind):

I echo the tributes to Jo Cox, Roy Hattersley and the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.

There are approximately 400,000 private hire and black cab drivers in the United Kingdom, and we rely on each and every one of them to keep our economy moving. It is concerning to hear that this Government are letting Uber deploy robotic minicabs across London, with the potential of them being rolled out across the country. Our drivers already face unsafe working conditions, discrimination and low pay, and now they are becoming casualties of this AI drive. At the last general election, British people were promised jobs and better workers’ rights, so I ask the Deputy Prime Minister: why are the Government pushing an agenda that will drive tens of thousands out of work, and will he arrange for a meeting so that we can have a discussion about this matter?

Q8

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Ayoub Khan (Birmingham Perry Barr) (Ind):

I echo the tributes to Jo Cox, Roy Hattersley and the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.

There are approximately 400,000 private hire and black cab drivers in the United Kingdom, and we rely on each and every one of them to keep our economy moving. It is concerning to hear that this Government are letting Uber deploy robotic minicabs across London, with the potential of them being rolled out across the country. Our drivers already face unsafe working conditions, discrimination and low pay, and now they are becoming casualties of this AI drive. At the last general election, British people were promised jobs and better workers’ rights, so I ask the Deputy Prime Minister: why are the Government pushing an agenda that will drive tens of thousands out of work, and will he arrange for a meeting so that we can have a discussion about this matter?

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the use of private hiring booking apps and navigation applications by taxi and private hire vehicle drivers on (a) road safety and (b) driver distraction.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the use of private hiring booking apps and navigation applications by taxi and private hire vehicle drivers on (a) road safety and (b) driver distraction.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with technology companies, including developers of navigation applications and private hire bookings, on improving safety features to reduce the need for driver interaction while vehicles are in motion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with technology companies, including developers of navigation applications and private hire bookings, on improving safety features to reduce the need for driver interaction while vehicles are in motion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department (a) has issued and (b) plans to issue guidance to developers of private hire booking apps and navigation applications on ensuring that such applications can be operated in a hands-free and distraction-minimising manner while driving.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department (a) has issued and (b) plans to issue guidance to developers of private hire booking apps and navigation applications on ensuring that such applications can be operated in a hands-free and distraction-minimising manner while driving.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2026 to Question 3807, whether specific changes were made to Automated Passenger Services policy as a direct result of feedback from Unite the Union.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2026 to Question 3807, whether specific changes were made to Automated Passenger Services policy as a direct result of feedback from Unite the Union.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many taxi and private hire vehicle drivers were required to obtain a new enhanced DBS certificate in each of the last five years; what estimate she has made of the cost to those drivers; and whether she has assessed...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many taxi and private hire vehicle drivers were required to obtain a new enhanced DBS certificate in each of the last five years; what estimate she has made of the cost to those drivers; and whether she has assessed...

Yesterday, the Transport Committee published the report on our inquiry into taxis and private hire licensing. Out-of-area working was a significant issue of concern in much of the evidence we received and for many of our witnesses, and the issue was also highlighted in Baroness Casey’s report on group-based sexual exploitation released last year. What are the Government doing to restrict out-of-area working for taxis and private hire vehicles?

Yesterday, the Transport Committee published the report on our inquiry into taxis and private hire licensing. Out-of-area working was a significant issue of concern in much of the evidence we received and for many of our witnesses, and the issue was also highlighted in Baroness Casey’s report on group-based sexual exploitation released last year. What are the Government doing to restrict out-of-area working for taxis and private hire vehicles?

My hon. Friend raises an important issue. She will be aware that we have already legislated to establish national standards and to reform the way that enforcement action can be taken against private hire drivers and vehicles, no matter where they are licensed. Those standards will provide a robust framework to make sure that people are safe wherever they live, work or travel. I believe that drivers and operators should be licensed where they intend to provide services. We are bringing forward a draft taxi and private hire vehicle Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny in this Session, and I would be grateful for the expertise of my hon. Friend’s Committee in looking at that. We want to look at the issue of out-of-area working holistically to make sure that we do not reduce the availability of private hire services for everyone, while also making sure that we have very high standards in place.

My hon. Friend raises an important issue. She will be aware that we have already legislated to establish national standards and to reform the way that enforcement action can be taken against private hire drivers and vehicles, no matter where they are licensed. Those standards will provide a robust framework to make sure that people are safe wherever they live, work or travel. I believe that drivers and operators should be licensed where they intend to provide services. We are bringing forward a draft taxi and private hire vehicle Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny in this Session, and I would be grateful for the expertise of my hon. Friend’s Committee in looking at that. We want to look at the issue of out-of-area working holistically to make sure that we do not reduce the availability of private hire services for everyone, while also making sure that we have very high standards in place.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish the draft legislative steps she intends to take to reform of out-of-area taxi-licensing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish the draft legislative steps she intends to take to reform of out-of-area taxi-licensing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has had discussions with trade unions representing workers in the taxicab or private hire vehicle sectors regarding the proposed rollout of driverless vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has had discussions with trade unions representing workers in the taxicab or private hire vehicle sectors regarding the proposed rollout of driverless vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of delays to taxi and private hire licence renewals caused by difficulties in obtaining medical assessments to Group 2 standards; whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of delays to taxi and private hire licence renewals caused by difficulties in obtaining medical assessments to Group 2 standards; whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support the taxi and private hire sectors during the introduction of automated passenger services; and what (a) fiscal and (b) training support will be made available to drivers displaced by autonomous vehicle technology.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support the taxi and private hire sectors during the introduction of automated passenger services; and what (a) fiscal and (b) training support will be made available to drivers displaced by autonomous vehicle technology.