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The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Minister vows to ‘legislate' amid fears taxis are ‘dangerous' for children
Ministers 'will legislate' to tackle inconsistent taxi and private hire standards amid fears some vehicles 'are a dangerous place for many children and young people'. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the Government is taking licensing 'very seriously' after Baroness Casey identified 'many cases of group-based child sexual exploitation' as having links with taxis. In the Commons, Labour MP for Derby North Catherine Atkinson asked: 'What actions is the minister taking to review taxi licensing so that everyone can have confidence that the taxi and private hire industry is reliable, sustainable and safe for passengers and drivers themselves?' Ms Alexander replied: 'I can assure (Ms Atkinson) that we're taking this very seriously – we are reviewing licensing authorities' compliance with existing guidance, and we will hold those who do not follow it to account. 'And we will go further following the publication of Baroness Casey's review, and we've committed to taking legislative action to close the loopholes in the current licensing regime to achieve higher standards of safety across the board.' Antonia Bance, the Labour MP for Tipton and Wednesbury, later added: 'Last week, the Casey review showed us yet again that private hire vehicles are a dangerous place for many children and young people.' She referred to Wolverhampton, where 96% of taxi and private hire licence holders lived outside the city between April 2023 and March 2024, according to a report by Taxi Point, and asked: 'What action is the minister going to take to make sure that local taxi licensing is done locally to high standards?' Ms Alexander told MPs: 'Baroness Casey has rightly brought this issue into sharp focus and we've committed to legislating – as I said to (Ms Atkinson) – to addressing this issue. 'We will work as quickly as possible and consider all options including out-of-area working, national standards and enforcement, seeking the best overall outcome for passenger safety.' Responding to a written question this week, local transport minister Simon Lightwood said the Government would 'act urgently to make improvements' following Baroness Casey of Blackstock's national audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse. This would include looking at 'how existing statutory guidance can be strengthened to further protect the public'. He added: 'Some important protections have already been put in place since earlier inquiries into child sexual abuse and exploitation. 'All licensing authorities in England now undertake extensive driver background checks, and since 2023, they are required to use a single database to prevent a driver refused a licence in one area on safety grounds going elsewhere. 'Careful consideration of the options is needed as we do not want any change to decrease the availability of highly vetted licensed drivers and vehicles and inadvertently increase the use of those offering illegal services that evade these licensing checks.' Labour MP for York Central Rachael Maskell asked what steps the Department for Transport would take 'to close the loophole that enables taxi drivers to apply for a licence in one area and operate in another'. Baroness Casey dedicated a chapter of her audit to taxi licensing. 'As a key part of the nighttime economy, taxis have historically been identified in a minority of cases as a way children can be at risk of sexual exploitation, both as a potential way for perpetrators to meet their victims, as well as a means of trafficking victims to different locations and introducing them to other perpetrators,' Baroness Casey found. 'Many cases of group-based child sexual exploitation have highlighted links with taxis.' She later added 'a lack of stringency means that drivers who are unscrupulous can apply to a lax neighbouring borough' for a licence, and urged the Government to 'close these loopholes urgently'.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Suspects being questioned after fatal bank stabbing
A police cordon remains in place in St Peter's Street following the attack [BBC] Police are continuing to question two suspects who were arrested after a customer was stabbed to death inside a bank in Derby. A cordon was set up in the area around the Lloyds branch in St Peter's Street after a man his 30s died at the scene following the attack shortly before 14.30 BST on Tuesday. Derbyshire Police later arrested a man in his 40s on suspicion of murder and another in his 30s on suspicion of assisting an offender. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Supt Rebecca Webster told the BBC on Wednesday morning that both suspects remained in custody and were being questioned by officers working on the murder investigation. She said: "We can confirm a major investigation has been launched after a man was stabbed to death in the bank. "We are happy this was an isolated incident and we have a number of people working hard to understand why this took place." The cordon was set up after the incident in Derby on Tuesday. [BBC] Supt Webster said the police cordon, which stretches into nearby East Street, was likely to remain in place for a large part of Wednesday. The victim's family have been informed of his death. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Lloyds has said it is "deeply saddened" by the incident, while Labour MPs Catherine Atkinson and Baggy Shanker, who represent Derby North and Derby South respectively, said they had contacted emergency services "to offer our support". "This is a tragic and shocking incident," they added. "Violence has no place in our community." Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. More on this story Related internet links
