Mark Hooper appointed Deputy Minister for Transport with responsibility for taxi and PHV licensing

Mark Hooper has been appointed Deputy Minister for Transport in the new Welsh Government, taking on responsibility for taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing. His appointment forms part of the first Cabinet announced by First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth following Plaid Cymru’s victory in the 7 May 2026 Senedd election, in which the party secured the largest share of votes and moved to form a new administration.

Hooper, newly elected to the Senedd, will oversee the transport brief within a Cabinet that the First Minister has said will bring “new energy, new ideas and a new direction” to government. His role places him at the centre of ongoing national discussions about taxi and PHV standards, safety and regulatory reform.

This appointment follows recent updates to Welsh Government guidance on driver training. As reported by the Institute of Licensing, the Government amended Part 2, section 1(h) of its Taxi and Private Hire Vehicles Licensing Guidance ahead of the election. A Welsh Government spokesperson confirmed at the time that any further reforms to the taxi and PHV sector would fall to the next administration following the 7 May 2026 Senedd election, with wider legislative or policy changes expected to be considered once the new Government was formed.

With Hooper now in post and Plaid Cymru leading the new Government, attention is expected to turn to how the administration will approach future reforms to licensing, training standards and sector-wide consistency across Wales.