Question reference: S6W-05013
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 16 December 2021
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Current status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 11 January 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support public hire drivers in the taxi industry, and what action it is taking with local authorities to distinguish the nature and needs of private hire and public hire taxis in the sector.
Answer
The Scottish Government has engaged extensively with local authorities and with a number of organisations representing the taxi sector including Unite the Union, the App Drivers and Couriers Union, the Scottish Association of Private Hire Operator and the Scottish Taxi Federation. Previously the Scottish Government provided £79.3 million directly to taxi and private hire drivers and operators in response to the pandemic. Further support of up to £28 million was announced on 5 January 2022 from within the £375 million package of funding announced on 21 December 2021, bringing total support for the sector to over £107 million. The Scottish Government is also calling on the UK Government to re-introduce schemes such as the Self-Employment Income Support Grant in order to make further support available. We recognise the pandemic’s impact on the economy and businesses across a wide range of sectors.