Government says engagement ongoing with taxi and PHV industry as MPs press on Uber-style working conditions
- Perry Richardson
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
The Department for Transport (DfT) has cited wider employment law reforms and ongoing engagement with industry bodies in response to parliamentary questions on the working conditions of private hire vehicle drivers working for large national operators such as Uber.
In written questions to the DfT, Elsie Blundell, the Labour MP for Heywood and Middleton North, asked what steps the Secretary of State for Transport is taking to help improve the working conditions of PHV drivers working for large national operators such as Uber. She also asked what action is being taken to engage directly with those drivers on their terms and conditions.
Responding on behalf of the Government, Lilian Greenwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, set out the Government’s position in a brief written answer on 20 January 2026.
“Department for Transport Ministers and officials engage with operators, trade representation groups, and trade unions on the regulation of the taxi and private hire vehicle sector,” Greenwood said.
Ministers say engagement with operators and unions is ongoing as questions raised over working conditions at large private hire platforms
She added that recent employment legislation formed a central part of the Government’s approach to improving conditions across the labour market. “Thanks to the Government’s Employment Rights Act, over 18 million workers are set to benefit from greater fairness and security at work. Our reforms will also strengthen the voices of people in the workplace,” Greenwood said.
The response did not outline any sector-specific measures aimed directly at PHV drivers working for app-based platforms, instead pointing to cross-economy employment reforms and existing engagement structures between government, operators and representative bodies.
Working conditions in the PHV sector, particularly among drivers operating via large national platforms, have been a recurring issue in Parliament and the courts, with debates focusing on employment status, pay, algorithmic management and access to basic employment protections.
The latest exchange comes as the DfT continues work on wider taxi and private hire reform, including consideration of licensing standards, cross-border hiring and accessibility, while employment rights in the gig economy remain primarily a matter for employment law rather than transport regulation.
