I propose to take Questions Nos. 4, 16, 25, 36 and 81 together.
The 1995 Public Service Vehicles Regulations brought about a fundamental re-structuring of the law applying to the licensing and operation of taxis and hackneys. I made those regulations following consideration of the report of an interdepartmental committee, examination of the response to that report from local authorities, interest groups and the general public, and discussions with representatives of the various interest groups.
The main thrust of the regulations was to devolve to individual local authorities all of the significant functions relating to the licensing of taxis and hackneys and, in particular, the power to determine the number of new taxi licences which may be granted in respect of each taximeter area. The regulations provide that before deciding to authorise the grant of new taxi licences, local authorities must engage in a public consultation process to ensure that the views of taxi interest groups and of people using taxi services are taken into account.
Under the 1995 regulations, licences at all times remain the property of the issuing authority but can be renewed every two years on an ongoing basis by the holder. Local authorities have power under the regulations to apply conditions or restrictions to the transfer of licences and can, in that context, introduce non-transferable licences if they so wish.
I have no proposals to amend the regulations at this stage. They were drafted, as I have already indicated, following a long review process, and it is now a matter for the local authorities concerned to apply them, as they consider appropriate in their areas. I intend to review the position in the light of experience of the operation of the regulations, but I do not think that it would be right to initiate any review until at least one year after the commencement of the new system.