Agenda item

The Chair invited Ellie Greenwood, Senior Adviser, and Rebecca Johnson, Adviser to introduce the item. 

Rebecca and Ellie gave a live demonstration of the new National Register of Taxi Licence Revocations and Refusals for Members, which included an overview of the system.  Ellie and Rebecca also discussed some of the risks relating to the register – particularly pertaining to information sharing, guidance from the Information Commissioners Office, and the possibility of breaching human rights legislation without a targeted and proportionate approach to information sharing – as outlined in the paper. 

The Chair thanked Ellie and Rebecca for the presentation, and invited members to comment:

·         Members discussed the data retention period for information on the register, and asked what information would / would not be disclosable. 

·         Members discussed whether there would be an appeals process. 

·         Members welcomed the development but emphasised the importance of continuing to lobby on issues around public service vehicles and the DVSA.

o   Rebecca and Ellie explained that the data retention period for information on the register was proposed to be 25 years. The register itself will record only basic details of when a licence has been refused or revoked; licensing authorities will need to make a judgement about whether it is appropriate to share further information if asked, based on the nature of the refusal or revocation and the length of time that has passed. Individuals whose details are entered onto the register will be able to object to this, although as the register has been set up to support a public task, there are limited grounds for them to object. This would of course be separate to the process of appealing a decision to refuse or revoke in the first place.

The Chair thanked members for their comments.

Action

·         Members noted the update.