LORDS DEBATE 20 October

LORD CALLANAN...20 October 2015.

The supply of taxis in most cities in the UK has been artificially restricted for years. I have long believed that the ridiculous distinction between private hire and hackney carriages is outdated and out of time. Those differences, in my view, should be abolished. Indeed, as my noble friend Lord Borwick pointed out, that is effectively being done by new technology. So long as they are appropriately licensed, insured and with a safe vehicle, let all who want to do so operate a service in a safe manner, whether by an app, hailing in the street, telephone or any other means that they want to use to operate that service.

Needless to say, it should come as no surprise to us that the incumbent operators are resistant to change in the market. That is understandable: typists were opposed to word processors and typesetters were against desktop publishing software. They failed in the end—you cannot resist the march of technology. Surely, in here of all places, we should be on the side of consumers rather than of producers. Consumers are demonstrating in their millions that this is a service they want and require and, frankly, they will use it irrespective of what we choose to do in this place.

 That is the essence of consumer choice. Let us not restrict one market mechanism in favour of another; let us deregulate.


http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/ca191421-849b-45ab-9cfc-4ccded7682de?in=19:55:00&out=22:40:00

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?id=2015-10-20a.638.0