Hansard

I shall explain briefly why we are recommending agreement to a Sewel motion in relation to the Private Hire Vehicles (Carriage of Guide Dogs etc) Bill, which is a private member's bill that is currently before the UK Parliament; why we have given the UK Government our full support for the bill; and why we think that its provisions should extend to Scotland, conferring a new regulation-making power on Scottish ministers.

The motion represents a sensible use of the Sewel convention. The relevant provisions in the bill could not be legislated for by the Scottish Parliament, because the subject matter is reserved. The bill will confer directly on Scottish ministers a power to make regulations that will govern the carriage of guide dogs and other assistance dogs in private hire cars, therefore there is a need to obtain Parliament's approval.

Neil Gerrard MP has tabled a private member's bill in the United Kingdom Parliament. The bill proposes that the provisions in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in relation to the requirement for taxi drivers to carry at no additional charge guide dogs and other assistance dogs that accompany people with disabilities be extended to private hire cars.

The UK Government supports the bill because of the benefits that it would bring to people who have disabilities, who have assistance dogs and who prefer to use private hire cars, rather than taxis. We share those views. We welcome the opportunity for the bill to apply to Scotland and we fully endorse its aims.

We propose, therefore, that through the Westminster bill a new regulation-making power be conferred on Scottish ministers in relation to private hire cars. As well as being consistent in approach with the taxi provisions, that will allow the Scottish Parliament to scrutinise the proposed regulations to ensure that they are appropriate to Scottish needs and circumstances. I assure members that proactive consultation will take place with all interested parties on the content of any regulations before they are laid before the Parliament.

I move,

That the Parliament endorses the principle of including in the Private Hire Vehicles (Carriage of Guide Dogs etc.) Bill a power for Scottish Ministers to regulate for the carriage of guide and other assistance dogs in private hire cars in Scotland and agrees that the relevant provisions to achieve this end in the Bill should be considered by the UK Parliament.