Taxi Licensing: Deregulation Act 2015

In the House of Commons, a minister delivered a statement addressing the crucial issue of taxi licensing. The minister expressed sincere gratitude for the opportunity to engage in this important debate, recognizing that taxi licensing is not merely a technical matter, but one that strikes at the heart of fairness and safety, and directly affects the livelihoods of hard-working taxi drivers in the minister's constituency, including Harlow and surrounding villages such as Lower Nazeing. The minister acknowledged that this issue is of nationwide concern, as evidenced by the many members of Parliament who will speak on the matter tonight. However, the minister's focus will primarily be on the experiences in Harlow. The minister made it clear that the intention is not to rehash arguments surrounding the Deregulation Act 2015, which was introduced with the best intentions. Nevertheless, the minister stated that the reality and unintended consequences of that legislation cannot be ignored, as they have left taxi drivers vulnerable, passengers at risk, and the integrity of local oversight severely compromised.