Scotland considers changing taxi licensing laws for sex offenders

Scottish First Minister John Swinney has expressed openness to amending taxi licensing laws to prevent convicted sex offenders from holding operator licences. This follows significant controversy involving the Highland Council, which faced criticism after councillors considered allowing two operator licences to remain with David Brown, a man jailed earlier this year for the rape of an 18-year-old passenger.

During First Minister’s Questions, MSP Morven-May MacCallum urged the government to review existing legislation to ensure such individuals are barred from the profession. MacCallum noted that the current system grants substantial discretion to local licensing authorities, a factor that contributed to the Highland Council incident.

Swinney stated he agreed “unreservedly” with the concerns raised, noting there should “never have been any question” about continuing a licence in such cases. While he did not commit to a specific legislative timetable or a new Bill, he acknowledged the need to address the degree of flexibility currently exercised by local authorities.