Since 14 October 2016, all applicants for a private hire driver's licence have been required to be able to communicate in English to a B1 standard. Drivers can provide ; (1) A certificate from one of TfL's secure English language test providers confirming that the applicant's level of proficiency in the English language is at level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: ("CEFR") or above; or; (2) Documentary evidence of a qualification (whether or not the qualification was obtained in the United Kingdom) on the basis of which TfL is satisfied that the applicant's level of proficiency in the English language is equivalent to level B1 on the CEFR or above. Please inform me since 01/01/18 how many drivers have submitted (2) Documentary evidence, and of that number how many drivers submitted certificates issued by,or tests completed via Global Switch Professionals LTD.

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Our ref: FOI-0145-1819

Thank you for your email received on 18 April 2018 asking for information about the English Language Test for Private Hire drivers.

Your request has been processed in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.

Unfortunately, to provide you with the further information you have requested, would exceed the ‘appropriate limit’ of £450 set by the Freedom of Information (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.

Under section 12 of the FOI Act, we are not obliged to comply with a request if we estimate that the cost of determining whether we hold the information, locating and retrieving it and extracting it from other information would exceed the appropriate limit. This is calculated at £25 per hour for every hour spent on the activities described.

We have estimated that it would exceed the cost limit to provide a response to your request as we would have to manually check through thousands of pieces of documentary evidence to determine how many / if any certificates were awarded by Global Switch Professionals LTD.

To help bring the cost of responding to your request within the £450 limit, you may wish to consider narrowing its scope so that we can more easily locate, retrieve and extract the information you are seeking. If you want to refine your request or make a Freedom of Information Act request in future, please bear in mind that the Freedom of Information Act allows you to request recorded information held by Transport for London. You should identify the information that you want as clearly and concisely as you can, specifying the types of document that you are looking for. You might also consider limiting your request to a particular period of time, geographical area or specific departments of TfL.

Although your request can take the form of a question, rather than a request for specific documents, TfL does not have to answer your question if it would require the creation of new information or the provision of a judgement, explanation, advice or opinion that was not already recorded at the time of your request.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

Yours sincerely,

Melissa Nichols

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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