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Government's reluctance to tackle Rotherham taxi loophole deeply concerning

2 November 2016

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The Government's reluctance to tackle a taxi licensing loophole, which could leave children and vulnerable adults at risk of abuse, is deeply concerning, Communities and Local Government Committee Chair, Clive Betts MP, has said.

Taxi licensing

The loophole means a local authority's licensing requirements for taxis, such as the mandatory CCTV introduced by Rotherham Borough Council following the child abuse scandal, could be undermined by taxis which are licensed by other authorities with less stringent rules but are able to operate in the area.

While the Committee welcomes the introduction of national statutory guidance on taxi licensing, it is concerned that the Government has not committed to monitoring how effective it is at closing the loophole once it comes into force, or to taking further legislative action if required.

The Chair's comments follow the recent publication of the Government's response to the Committee's report on the imposition of Local Government Commissioners in Rotherham in the wake of the child abuse scandal, and in Tower Hamlets following allegations of corruption.

Chair's comments

Clive Betts MP, Chair of the Communities and Local Government Committee, said:

"Children and vulnerable adults will remain at risk in Rotherham for as long as the local authority's tough new licensing rules can be undermined by taxis from other areas.

The Government must monitor the new statutory guidance for taxi licensing when it is introduced to see that it not only ensures consistently high standards across the country but also enables local authorities to put in place and enforce specific measures appropriate for their areas. If the guidance fails in this regard, then the Government should legislate.

The reluctance of Ministers to commit to either of these actions is deeply concerning."

Whistleblowers

The Committee welcomes the Government's acceptance of many of the report's other findings and recommendations. In particular, the Committee welcomes the introduction of secondary legislation to strengthen the legal protections for whistleblowers by adding Government-appointed Commissioners to the list of Prescribed Persons under the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 2014.

But the Committee is also critical of the Government's refusal to say how many local authorities are receiving extra attention from Whitehall with a view to preventing future interventions.

Chair's comments

Clive Betts MP said:

"We welcome the swift action and positive response by the Government to our recommendation, which should ensure that whistleblowers who approach Government-appointed Commissioners receive the same protections as they would they approached their MP or an external auditor."

Background

The Committee published its report 'Government interventions: the use of Commissioners in Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets' in August 2016.

Further information

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