Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an estimate of the cost to community transport organisations of ensuring that all their drivers have a PSV O-licence; and whether that requirement will effect their charitable status due to the capital reserve requirement involved.

Within the existing legal framework, the Department wants as many community transport providers as possible to continue to operate, and retain, service provision for vulnerable community transport passengers.

The Department will consult on this issue and set out the changes for operators complying with the proposed to legislation as well as guidance on the use of section 19 permits, including the financial standing requirement. The consultation will contain an impact assessment and the effect of the changes to the regulatory regime will form part of our considerations.

The Department does not envisage a requirement to obtain a PSV operating licence will affect whether or not an organisation has charitable status.