To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 19 March 1998, Official Report, column 692, if he will instigate an independent appeals process over decisions taken by the Public Carriage Office not to allow advertisements on licensed taxi vehicles. [36823]

I have no plans to change the present arrangements. However, I understand that the Public Carriage Office, and the Metropolitan Police of which they form part, are willing to discuss questions of taxi advertising with the agencies concerned, and that liaison meetings for that purpose are already planned.