Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to require in-vehicle CCTV in licensed taxis and private hire vehicles.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill seeks a power for the Secretary of State to set in regulations national minimum standards for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing. The power was approved by the House of Commons and the Bill is now being considered by the House of Lords. Should Parliament enable the setting of standards, mandating CCTV in vehicles will be considered as part of that process.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has held discussions with Transport for London on the potential impact of delays in issuing private hire licences on private hire drivers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department for Transport is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which local licensing authorities in England license the taxi and private hire vehicle trades but ultimately the licensing process is left at the discretion of local authorities.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason (a) the number of staff and (b) and staff costs have increased at the Civil Aviation Authority since April 2017.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Since 2016, the CAA’s regulatory perimeter has expanded significantly. Following EU Exit, the CAA developed new rulemaking and regulatory oversight functions to replace those delivered by the European Aviation Safety Agency until 2020, including the creation of a UK state of design function. As a result of the Space Industry Act 2018, the CAA became the UK Space Regulator in 2021. At the same time, the CAA has grown to respond to the development of novel aviation technology (including drones, air taxis and future propulsion such as hydrogen), setting regulatory frameworks and standards to enable tomorrow’s aerospace to innovate and grow. The Future of Flight technologies have the potential to contribute up to £103 billion to the UK economy over the next 25 years.
Reflecting its strategic objectives and the government’s priorities, the CAA has created additional capacity in five areas; in economic regulation and consumer enforcement to manage increased ambition and expectations; to fulfil CAA’s expanded remit in relation to airspace modernisation; to deliver new cyber security oversight responsibilities for the aviation sector; and to deliver the CAA’s sustainability roles, including those it took on from the Independent Commission for Civil Aviation Noise; together with increases in back-office areas supporting these teams. All of this has been delivered with a focus on efficiency and efficacy, enabling increased investment in CAA services to its customers.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with app-based private hire companies regarding Transport for London issuing licences for private hire drivers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Secretary of State has not recently discussed the issuing of private hire vehicle driver licences by Transport for London with private hire vehicle operators.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for its policies of the average time taken by Transport for London to process and issue private hire vehicle driver licences.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department for Transport is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which local licensing authorities in England license the taxi and private hire vehicle trades but ultimately the licensing process is left at the discretion of local authorities. We work closely with Transport for London on a range of issues but the operation of private hire driver licensing is a matter solely for them and it would not be appropriate for ministers to comment or intervene.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of distinguishing between commercial and private motorcycle use in the UK’s licensing regime.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
For driving licence categories, we do not differentiate between commercial use and private use of vehicles. The driving test similarly, does not differentiate between commercial use and private use of vehicles. Those wishing to operate vehicles for commercial use, are often required to obtain additional entitlements; for vans and lorries – an Operator Licence. For buses and coaches – a Public Service Vehicle Licence. For Taxis – a Private Hire Vehicle Licence and there are other Licence schemes run either through the Traffic Commissioners or through Local Authorities. These are not considered a formal part of the driving licence regime.
We have announced as part of the Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January 2026, that we will pilot a National Work-Related Road Safety Charter for businesses that require people to drive or ride for them. This includes the use of HGVs, Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs), cars, motorcycles, e-cycles and cycles. The pilot will run for two years.
The Road Safety Strategy also consists of a consultation paper, relating to the training, testing and licensing regime for Category A moped and motorcycle licences in Great Britain. We also will take into account both long-standing plans in the Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, and proposals received from the motorcycle sector, in considering reforms to this area.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to reduce concentrations of fine particulate matter in the Birmingham City Council area.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Birmingham City Council is responsible for reviewing and assessing air quality in its area. The 2025 Birmingham Air Quality Annual Status Report notes continued action to reduce PM2.5 through implementation of the Birmingham Clean Air Zone, fleet renewal and retrofit of buses and taxis, promotion of active travel, traffic management and anti-idling enforcement. The Council is also reducing emissions from domestic solid fuel burning through smoke control enforcement and public awareness, and works with Defra supported monitoring and modelling to track PM2.5 trends and inform further targeted interventions. The Council continues to work with Defra, DfT, the West Midlands Combined Authority and partners to identify new measures to reduce pollution.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2025 to Question 76268 on MHCLG: Travel, how much was spent in each of the last six months.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Spend on ministerial travel in taxis and private hire vehicles between June and November 2025 is listed below:
June 2025 £4,443.03
July 2025 £3,610.92
August 2025 £1,885.79
September 2025 £1,861.51
October 2025 £114.44
November 2025 £746.16
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help improve the working conditions of PHV drivers working for large national operators such as Uber.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Department for Transport Ministers and officials engage with operators, trade representation groups, and trade unions on the regulation of the taxi and private hire vehicle sector.
Thanks to the Government’s Employment Rights Act, over 18 million workers are set to benefit from greater fairness and security at work. Our reforms will also strengthen the voices of people in the workplace.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to engage with PHV drivers employed by large national operators on their terms and working conditions.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Department for Transport Ministers and officials engage with operators, trade representation groups, and trade unions on the regulation of the taxi and private hire vehicle sector.
Thanks to the Government’s Employment Rights Act, over 18 million workers are set to benefit from greater fairness and security at work. Our reforms will also strengthen the voices of people in the workplace.