Chamber
Plenary, 09 Jan 2008
09 Jan 2008 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
Serious Organised Crime
I welcome the debate. I also welcome the Scottish Government's creation of the serious organised crime task force.
As each member who has spoken thus far has said, organised crime has a daily impact on Scottish communities and individuals. It has a detrimental effect on Scottish life and our business community. The co-ordination of specialist expertise, skills and knowledge in the task force will help to reduce the amount of organised crime on our streets and send out a message that tackling serious organised crime is a priority for the Government.
I am confident that the task force will complement the work of the Serious Organised Crime Agency and address specific Scottish considerations and problems that are distinct to our communities. Scotland has a unique legal system and policing culture and needs a dedicated task force to work alongside the SOCA. The Scottish Government is taking steps to ensure the safety of its individuals and communities. In that respect, the task force should be welcomed.
As the cabinet secretary, Pauline McNeill and Sandra White have said, one of the primary industries that criminal gangs exploit is the private hire taxi trade. Organised crime can prosper only if it has a respectable business as a front for criminal behaviour. Taxi companies are ideal fronts for criminal activity, as they can be presented as legitimate businesses. Concerns exist that the regulations that govern the licensing of private hire vehicles are too lenient and allow criminals to infiltrate the business as a cover for criminal activity and money laundering. We should make a distinction between private hire taxi firms and the black hackney cabs. The black cab or public hire taxi trade is regulated tightly by the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, but the private hire trade is not subject to those stringent regulations. We therefore need to tighten the regulations on the private hire trade.
Under the current regulatory regime, an individual can obtain a licence to run a private hire vehicle with relative ease. Applications can be made to the local authority on behalf of an individual or company, with a small application fee of about £200. The local authority then forwards the application to the police, who perform a background check for criminal activity. Provided that the police check does not reveal any such activity, the local authority will then grant the licence, following a safety check of the vehicle, which costs only £100. In short, for a relatively small amount of money, a criminal business can prosper easily. On passing the aforementioned safety check, the licence will be granted and thereafter the vehicle will be subject only to an ordinary MOT test, with no maximum age limit. Compare that to the regulation of the black cab industry, in which two thorough safety checks of vehicles are often required per year. The stricter regulations in the public hire industry make it significantly more difficult for criminals to infiltrate the industry, so the private hire industry must follow suit.
It is widely known that there is no limit on the number of private hire licences that councils can give out. The local authorities' inability to limit the number of private hire licences makes it difficult to control entry to the profession and thus easier for organised crime to operate on Scotland's streets. The situation damages the good name of legitimate and hard-working taxi firms and drivers throughout the county, who are in the majority. With the black cab industry, the 1982 act gives local authorities the power to limit the number of public hire taxi licences that are available annually. The number is based on an in-depth survey of demand in the area and ensures that enough taxis are available to provide good customer service while allowing fair competition among local businesses. Importantly, the system makes it significantly more difficult for criminals to enter the trade.
The current lax regulatory regime for the private hire trade has made that part of the industry an open target for criminal gangs. It should be stressed that the fault does not lie with local authorities or the police, as they do not have the power to fight that lax regime. Legislation to allow local authorities to limit the number of private hire licences would offer protection to the taxi industry from criminal gangs and would control entry into the profession. Organised crime affects the lives of many hard-working and honest Scottish individuals and their families, so we need to crack down on it. It is apparent that more stringent regulations would be the first step in tackling the problems that taxi companies face. Too many criminal gangs use apparently legitimate businesses such as taxi companies as fronts for illegal activity. Steps should be taken to put them out of business and remove them from Scotland's streets.
I support fully the role of the newly established serious organised crime task force in bringing together all the major agencies and in spearheading a renewed drive and commitment to tackle such crime in Scotland. I ask those agencies to make the regulatory regime of the private hire trade a priority area on which action must be taken. I back the motion in the name of the cabinet secretary.
As each member who has spoken thus far has said, organised crime has a daily impact on Scottish communities and individuals. It has a detrimental effect on Scottish life and our business community. The co-ordination of specialist expertise, skills and knowledge in the task force will help to reduce the amount of organised crime on our streets and send out a message that tackling serious organised crime is a priority for the Government.
I am confident that the task force will complement the work of the Serious Organised Crime Agency and address specific Scottish considerations and problems that are distinct to our communities. Scotland has a unique legal system and policing culture and needs a dedicated task force to work alongside the SOCA. The Scottish Government is taking steps to ensure the safety of its individuals and communities. In that respect, the task force should be welcomed.
As the cabinet secretary, Pauline McNeill and Sandra White have said, one of the primary industries that criminal gangs exploit is the private hire taxi trade. Organised crime can prosper only if it has a respectable business as a front for criminal behaviour. Taxi companies are ideal fronts for criminal activity, as they can be presented as legitimate businesses. Concerns exist that the regulations that govern the licensing of private hire vehicles are too lenient and allow criminals to infiltrate the business as a cover for criminal activity and money laundering. We should make a distinction between private hire taxi firms and the black hackney cabs. The black cab or public hire taxi trade is regulated tightly by the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, but the private hire trade is not subject to those stringent regulations. We therefore need to tighten the regulations on the private hire trade.
Under the current regulatory regime, an individual can obtain a licence to run a private hire vehicle with relative ease. Applications can be made to the local authority on behalf of an individual or company, with a small application fee of about £200. The local authority then forwards the application to the police, who perform a background check for criminal activity. Provided that the police check does not reveal any such activity, the local authority will then grant the licence, following a safety check of the vehicle, which costs only £100. In short, for a relatively small amount of money, a criminal business can prosper easily. On passing the aforementioned safety check, the licence will be granted and thereafter the vehicle will be subject only to an ordinary MOT test, with no maximum age limit. Compare that to the regulation of the black cab industry, in which two thorough safety checks of vehicles are often required per year. The stricter regulations in the public hire industry make it significantly more difficult for criminals to infiltrate the industry, so the private hire industry must follow suit.
It is widely known that there is no limit on the number of private hire licences that councils can give out. The local authorities' inability to limit the number of private hire licences makes it difficult to control entry to the profession and thus easier for organised crime to operate on Scotland's streets. The situation damages the good name of legitimate and hard-working taxi firms and drivers throughout the county, who are in the majority. With the black cab industry, the 1982 act gives local authorities the power to limit the number of public hire taxi licences that are available annually. The number is based on an in-depth survey of demand in the area and ensures that enough taxis are available to provide good customer service while allowing fair competition among local businesses. Importantly, the system makes it significantly more difficult for criminals to enter the trade.
The current lax regulatory regime for the private hire trade has made that part of the industry an open target for criminal gangs. It should be stressed that the fault does not lie with local authorities or the police, as they do not have the power to fight that lax regime. Legislation to allow local authorities to limit the number of private hire licences would offer protection to the taxi industry from criminal gangs and would control entry into the profession. Organised crime affects the lives of many hard-working and honest Scottish individuals and their families, so we need to crack down on it. It is apparent that more stringent regulations would be the first step in tackling the problems that taxi companies face. Too many criminal gangs use apparently legitimate businesses such as taxi companies as fronts for illegal activity. Steps should be taken to put them out of business and remove them from Scotland's streets.
I support fully the role of the newly established serious organised crime task force in bringing together all the major agencies and in spearheading a renewed drive and commitment to tackle such crime in Scotland. I ask those agencies to make the regulatory regime of the private hire trade a priority area on which action must be taken. I back the motion in the name of the cabinet secretary.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan):
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S3M-1101, in the name of Kenny MacAskill, on serious organised crime.
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Kenny MacAskill):
SNP
I welcome this opportunity to debate one of the major threats facing Scotland today: serious organised crime. Organised crime impacts on us all. For too long...
Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD):
LD
In his letter to the Home Secretary, has the minister referred to the possibility of Scotland retaining all the money that it gets under the 2002 act? I unde...
Kenny MacAskill:
SNP
My understanding is that the figure is 50 per cent above £17 million per annum. We are obviously happy to discuss the matter. That particular aspect was not ...
Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind):
Ind
I very much appreciate what the minister has just said, but what will be done differently to persuade young people that there is another way—other than joini...
Kenny MacAskill:
SNP
The member and I have touched on such matters at hustings and on other occasions. She is aware that some matters are outwith the justice department's silo. T...
Margo MacDonald:
Ind
On the effectiveness of Europol in helping to prevent crime in Scotland, is the minister satisfied that the intelligence that he receives from Europol regard...
Kenny MacAskill:
SNP
I believe so. I met the director general of Europol. I am not aware of any evidence from police officers or organisations in Scotland that appropriate inform...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab):
Lab
I am pleased to see that, in 2008, our weekly discussions with the Cabinet Secretary for Justice will continue. I welcome this debate on serious organised cr...
Margo MacDonald:
Ind
The member referred to long sentences for serious criminals. Does she see that being balanced by shorter sentences for less serious crimes?
Pauline McNeill:
Lab
I am clear that, in relation to serious organised crime, we need long sentences. My point is that showing criminals that we can hurt them by stripping them o...
Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD):
LD
I welcome the debate. As Pauline McNeill said, this is the first week back, so we have the first justice debate, and another is due next week. I also welcome...
Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con):
Con
I am tempted to say that if Margaret Smith comes to some harm in the next few days, we will know who is responsible.In his opening remarks, the Cabinet Secre...
Mike Pringle:
LD
One problem is that often the Mercedes or house is owned not by the drug dealer but by his wife or son. What do we do about that? How do we address that prob...
Bill Aitken:
Con
Mr Pringle highlights what is undoubtedly a real problem, but at some stage the house will have been part of a transaction. In many instances, the house will...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
You should begin to wind up now.
Bill Aitken:
Con
The Mr Bigs of the criminal world need to know that we are after their houses—whether in Spain or in posh areas of Glasgow—and that we are after their cars.I...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
We move to the open debate. Speeches should be of around six minutes.
Christopher Harvie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP):
SNP
Serious organised crime is one of the most difficult issues before our Parliament because it goes right to the basis of our civil society.I begin by going ba...
Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab):
Lab
The cabinet secretary will remember that, in a wide-ranging contribution to the first major debate on justice matters after last year's election, he acknowle...
Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I start by saying that I am rather disappointed in the Lib Dem amendment. It does them no favours and it belittles the debate, which is about a very serious ...
Margaret Smith:
LD
In my speech I sought to remind Sandra White and others that in the fight against serious organised crime there is a role not only for specialists but for th...
Sandra White:
SNP
I do not want to know about the Liberal Democrats' manifesto commitments, some of which certainly have not been taken forward. That said, I take the member's...
Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab):
Lab
I support the motion and the amendments. I have no difficulty whatsoever in supporting Margaret Smith's amendment. Indeed, I am very pleased with her amendme...
Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I welcome the debate. I also welcome the Scottish Government's creation of the serious organised crime task force.As each member who has spoken thus far has ...
Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab):
Lab
I asked to speak in this debate even though the subject is outwith my shadow portfolio, because it means so much to people in my constituency. The debate giv...
John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I have great pleasure in speaking in the debate because, unlike the subjects of other debates, serious organised crime in Scotland is an issue that resonates...
Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD):
LD
The debate has been vital in maintaining the dialogue between elected representatives that is required to tackle an adaptive and constantly evolving problem....
John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con):
Con
The debate has been useful as it has allowed us to consider the issues connected with serious crime and how we might tackle it. There is much in the Governme...
Bill Butler:
Lab
Will the member give way on that point?