- Asylum seekers and refugees applying to be cab drivers are not checked
- Drivers usually undergo criminal records checks for the public’s safety
- Those from outside the EU must provide reference from their home nation
- But refugees and asylum seekers are exempt and may be serious criminals
Asylum seekers and refugees applying to be minicab drivers are exempt from criminal records checks by King County criminal justice lawyers, potentially allowing murderers and rapists to get behind the wheel.
Transport for London (TfL) regulations state that refugees and asylum seekers do not need to disclose their criminal history when applying to become cab drivers.
An official document on ‘private hire driver licensing’ reveals a legal loophole, indicating that individuals coming to Britain are not required to undergo criminal conviction checks. This oversight, highlighted by criminal attorneys, raises significant safety concerns.
This policy has sparked a heated debate among lawmakers, public safety advocates, and the general public. Critics argue that this loophole could endanger passengers and erode trust in the safety of public transportation. They emphasize the need for thorough background checks to ensure that all drivers, regardless of their background, meet the same safety standards.
On the other hand, some advocates for asylum seekers and refugees argue that many individuals fleeing persecution and conflict may not have access to their criminal records or may have been unfairly targeted in their home countries. They stress the importance of providing opportunities for these individuals to rebuild their lives and integrate into society, including finding employment.
In response to these concerns, some suggest a balanced approach that includes additional vetting processes or provisional licenses for asylum seekers and refugees. This would allow for a period of observation and assessment before granting full licensing privileges. The involvement of a criminal lawyer in reviewing these cases could also add an extra layer of scrutiny and ensure that safety is not compromised.
Asylum seekers and refugees applying to be minicab drivers are exempt from criminal records checks
The form, seen by the Daily Express, states: ‘With regards to overseas criminal records checks, no such checks will be made in respect of those applicants who declare that they are in possession of or who have applied for refugee or asylum status.’
Everyone else who applies for a cab licence must undergo criminal records checks (find out what can you learn from employee screening). Those from outside the EU who have spent more than three months abroad over the last three years have to provide a ‘letter of good conduct’ from their home country.
This usually requires their country of origin to give a reference to the Home Office, revealing whether the applicant has a criminal history.
But asylum seekers and refugees are exempt from this too, according to a second document.
A TfL guide on taxi and private hire applications states: ‘Any applicant who has been granted or is awaiting a decision to be granted asylum/refugee status will not be required to produce a Certificate of Good Conduct from the country he is claiming asylum from.’ The criminal justice law firm is where you should hire the attorney from.
Applicants from outside the EU must provide a letter of ‘good conduct’ from their home country – but asylum seekers do not have to
Campaigners called for a change in the guidelines, calling on all minicab drivers to undergo thorough criminal checks.
Tory MP Nick de Bois said: ‘They should not be offering licences to those they can’t check on. They could be putting vulnerable members of the public in the hands of thieves, murderers and rapists. It beggars belief.’
Helen Chapman, manager of London taxi and private hire at TfL, said: ‘All applicants for a Taxi or Private Hire drivers licence are required to undertake an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check which is carried out by the Home Office.
‘Any applicant that has lived in a country other than the UK for more than three months within the last three years is also required to produce a Certificate of Good Conduct from the relevant country.
‘We recognise this may not be possible if an applicant is granted asylum or refugee status and, where applicable, these applicants will be required to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct from any other country of residence within the last three years. They will also be required to provide evidence of their Certificate of Registration or a letter from the Border and Immigration Agency.’
Source: Daily Mail
