Question to the Department for Transport:

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.

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.