Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of interpreting into UK law the EU directives on operator licensing on (a) community transport providers and (b) isolated individuals and rural communities.

The provisions of Regulation 1071/2009 have been directly applicable in the UK since 2011.

Following a recent DVSA decision letter to a community transport operator about their non-compliance with legal operating requirements, my Department issued a 31 July letter to permit-issuing bodies to clarify principles that they should have regard to.

The Department for Transport intends to conduct a public consultation in the autumn, which will set out the changes needed to guidance and legislation, on the issue and use of section 19 and section 22 permits. The consultation will be accompanied by an Impact Assessment.