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1624742

registered interest
date	28/04/2023
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Taxis: Guide Dogs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions each licensing authority has brought under the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 governing a blind person's right to travel in licensed taxis with their guide dogs since January 2022, broken down by licensing authority.
tabling member constituency	Lewisham, Deptford
tabling member printed	Vicky Foxcroft
uin	183252
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2023 answer text <p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>Details of licensing authority are not held centrally in the Court Proceedings database.</p> answering member constituency Charnwood answering member printed Edward Argar question first answered 09/05/2023 15:47:22 answering member 4362 label Biography information for Edward Argar
tabling member	4491 label Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft

1404811

registered interest
date	20/01/2022
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Taxis: Guide Dogs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that guide dog owners are not illegally turned away by taxis.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	108584
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2022 answer text <p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison question first answered 27/01/2022 11:38:31 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1127171

registered interest
date	16/05/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Taxis: Guide Dogs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to prevent taxi drivers from refusing to take passengers with guide dogs.
tabling member constituency	Warrington South
tabling member printed	Faisal Rashid
uin	255388
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p> answering member constituency Wealden answering member printed Ms Nusrat Ghani question first answered 23/05/2019 13:25:44 answering member 4460 label Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani
tabling member	4670 label Biography information for Faisal Rashid

1125700

registered interest
date	09/05/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Taxis: Guide Dogs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of legislating to make it illegal for taxis and private hire vehicles to turn away guide dogs.
tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton North East
tabling member printed	Emma Reynolds
uin	252628
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>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.</p><p> </p><p>The Government expects drivers to comply with the law and encourages local licensing authorities to take robust action against those unwilling to do so.</p><p> </p><p>Drivers convicted of a relevant offence face fines of up to £1000.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wealden answering member printed Ms Nusrat Ghani question first answered 16/05/2019 10:04:40 answering member 4460 label Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani
tabling member	4077 label Biography information for Emma Reynolds

1078678

registered interest
date	27/02/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Taxis: Guide Dogs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many complaints his Department has received in each of the last five years on mini cab drivers refusing service to customers with guide dogs.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	226489
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2019 answer text <p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p> answering member constituency Wealden answering member printed Ms Nusrat Ghani question first answered 04/03/2019 17:45:00 answering member 4460 label Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

1077702

registered interest
date	26/02/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Taxis: Guide Dogs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will publish a timeframe for the introduction of legislation to address discrimination against guide dog owners using taxis.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Lloyd Russell-Moyle
uin	226194
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2019 answer text <p>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.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wealden answering member printed Ms Nusrat Ghani question first answered 05/03/2019 13:16:13 answering member 4460 label Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani
tabling member	4615 label Biography information for Lloyd Russell-Moyle

1057081

registered interest
date	08/02/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Taxis: Guide Dogs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government plans to respond to the recommendations on tackling discrimination against guide dog owners using taxis in the September 2018 report of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and PHV Licensing.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	218777
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government responded to the report of the Chair of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing on 12<sup>th</sup> February. The response can be found at: <br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/government-response-and-consultation-on-taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-licensing" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/government-response-and-consultation-on-taxi-and-private-hire-vehicle-licensing</a></p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wealden answering member printed Ms Nusrat Ghani question first answered 13/02/2019 17:08:26 answering member 4460 label Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

809702

registered interest
date	19/12/2017
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Taxis: Guide Dogs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the fines imposed on taxi drivers and private hire vehicle owners which refuse access to guide dog owners fully reflects the significance of the effect on those owners of the offence committed.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh West
tabling member printed	Christine Jardine
uin	120322
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2017 answer text <p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Holland and The Deepings answering member printed Mr John Hayes question first answered 21/12/2017 14:13:14 answering member 350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes
tabling member	4634 label Biography information for Christine Jardine

809705

registered interest
date	19/12/2017
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Taxis: Guide Dogs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department monitors the incidence of refusals to allow access to owners of assistance guide dogs by taxis, private hire vehicles and other transport-related services; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh West
tabling member printed	Christine Jardine
uin	120325
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2017 answer text <p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>We do not currently collect statistics on refusal incidents on board local public transport services.</p> answering member constituency South Holland and The Deepings answering member printed Mr John Hayes question first answered 21/12/2017 14:09:01 answering member 350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes
tabling member	4634 label Biography information for Christine Jardine

802994

registered interest
date	08/12/2017
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Taxis: Guide Dogs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will amend the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Taxis) (Carrying of Guide Dogs etc) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Private Hire Vehicles) (Carriage of Guide Dogs etc) (England and Wales) Regulations 2003 to enable notices of exemption to be displayed in large print or with tactile features incorporated.
tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
tabling member printed	Cat Smith
uin	118414
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2017 answer text <p>Sections 68 and 70 of the Equality Act 2010 confirm the right of assistance dog owners to travel by taxi or private hire vehicle free from the fear of discrimination.</p><p> </p><p>The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Taxis) (Carrying of Guide Dogs etc) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Private Hire Vehicles) (Carriage of Guide Dogs etc) (England and Wales) Regulations 2003 specify the form of exemption notices displayed by taxsi and private hire vehicle drivers who are medically unfit to fulfil the related duties.</p><p>I understand that it can be difficult for visually impaired people to identify genuine exemption notices presented to them, and officials have discussed with the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association alternative options, including the provision by licensing authorities of an additional non-statutory notice in Braille and large print.</p><p> </p><p>We currently have no plans to amend Regulations.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Holland and The Deepings answering member printed Mr John Hayes question first answered 13/12/2017 16:59:16 answering member 350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes
tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith