Question to the Department for Transport:

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.

The Government has established a commercial piloting route for Automated Passenger Services. This will enable government, deployers and local authorities to learn from initial deployments, including considering potential impacts on jobs.

The initial roll-out of automated services is likely to be small-scale and the Government will continue to engage with unions and other interested parties to ensure any transition is managed responsibly, including understanding new skills and employment opportunities associated with their deployment.