Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will amend statutory taxi and private hire vehicle licensing guidance to ensure that licensing authorities require taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to undertake safeguarding training and demonstrate safeguarding knowledge as a condition of licensing.

The Department’s existing statutory guidance recommends that licensing authorities should require taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to undertake safeguarding training.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, currently being considered by the House of Lords, seeks to provide a power for the Secretary of State to set in regulations requirements that must be met for any taxi or private hire vehicle licence to be issued and held.