Strathclyde Police concerned in health board contract
with Glasgow private hire firm
Further to an article in Aprilʼs issue of this magazine “To be effective in tackling serious organised of 708 drivers were checked, with 111 offences
by Jack Clyde expressing concern over a NHS crime, the police welcome information from the detected and 22 cars taken off the road. Officers
contract being awarded to a Glasgow Private Hire public surrounding such activity and, in particular, also removed illegal drivers from the road during
firm, Strathclyde Police have written to NHS Greater those who use their legitimate businesses and
the purge. Officers and council enforcement teams
Glasgow to urge it not to go ahead with the award. professional knowledge to support and or facilitate
carried out checks on cars operating across the
Ministers are also furious that the board has, in crime. Strathclyde Police continue to stand shoulder
Strathclyde Police area. The operation uncovered
principle, agreed to give £2m of taxpayersʼ money to shoulder with our communities to tackle serious
drugs offences, drivers carrying offensive weapons
to a firm that has previously been raided for alleged organised crime.”
inside vehicles, driving without insurance and
money laundering
operating as a vehicle while not licensed.
Stewart Maxwell, the SNP MSP, has written to the
Apparently, the health board has recently taken health board to express his concerns about the fact
A 31-year-old male was reported to the procurator
advice from senior counsel to see whether it could that the private hire cars are unlicensed. He said: “I
change the contract, but has been warned it has am astonished that we find ourselves in this situation
fiscal for weapons offences and alleged possession
already gone too far. Senior officers confirmed that despite the fact that so many people have expressed
of drugs after being stopped in the cityʼs South Side.
the force had taken the unusual step of sending a deep concerns, both publicly and privately, about
Meanwhile, in the city centre, 50 defect notices were
formal memo to the board to express their concerns the risk they are taking in giving the contract to this
issued, with six cars being temporarily prohibited
about the private hire firm in question. particular Glasgow PH firm. Patients should have the
from use. The move was sparked after police found
highest levels of care but they intend to press ahead
a number of serious organised crime groups had
A senior police source said: “Wherever they [the with this despite them using unlicensed vehicles.
infiltrated trades, including the private hire business.
board] have got to in the public procurement Frankly, this is ridiculous. I fully intend to push ahead
exercise, they feel it would be difficult to pull back with an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill to
Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said:
from it. Strathclyde Police has written to the NHS close this loophole.” “Intelligence revealed some private hire companies
Board. The board went to senior counsel to see are owned by or have links to organised crime. We
whether it would be appropriate to step back at A health board spokeswoman said: “We have not are determined to tackle the scourge of organised
this stage. The board feel they will have to go awarded any contract to a Private Hire company. crime and the damage it causes to our communities.
through with it but St Andrewʼs House [the Scottish New information was made available to us which
We also want to protect the majority of private hire
Government] is really angry and says you cannot might materially affect the ability of NPH to meet
firms that are legitimate but who are losing business
give it to them because this is public money.” the contract requirements. We therefore decided to
to these criminal groups. Although officers detected a
postpone any decision until we had fully investigated
number of offences, the vast majority of private hire
A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said: “In support this new information. We have separately been in
cars operate within the Scottish law.”
of the Scottish Government strategy for tackling dialogue with Mr Maxwell regarding the issue of the
serious organised crime in our communities, licensing requirements for the contract. The legal
The operation formed part of serious and organised
Strathclyde Police work with other police forces and advice that we have received on this issue is that
the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency to
crime phase of the forceʼs campaign against violence.
legislation does not require private hire vehicles to
examine the infiltration of organised crime groups in a be licensed for the purposes of providing transport
Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said:
number of legitimate businesses. Intelligence analysis services to another business.”
“Tackling serious organised crime is one of the
reveals that a small number of PH companies
Scottish Governmentʼs top priorities. Where it infiltrates
are either owned by or have links to organised Strathclyde Police find drugs and weapons in
legitimate business, like the taxi and private hire trade,
crime. Strathclyde Police have made a number of some private hire vehicles
we are determined to take action. I welcome this action
intelligence disclosures to partner agencies identifying In recent Strathclyde Police crackdown involving by Strathclyde Police.” He added that the move would
serious organised crime groups involved in tendering some Glasgow private hire firms, drugs and protect hard-working, law-abiding taxi and private hire
for contracts.” weapons were seized during the purge. A total drivers throughout Scotland.
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