Thursday March 5th 2026
Edinburgh City Chambers
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan
A private hire driver’s application has been held up after the Scottish Government refused to disclose to Police Scotland why he failed a PVG check.
Councillors heard from police at Tuesday’s licensing meeting that Dr Pius Burns Abayie Danso had failed a PVG check for working with children and adults in 2023.
But police inspector James Langside said police systems contained no information as to why he failed – and that the Scottish Government had refused to disclose that information to him.
Despite this, Police Scotland recommended that councillors not grant the licence on the grounds of the failed PVG check.
Dr Danso told councillors: “I was oblivious about the whole thing until an email was sent to me by the committee about a hearing, that I have been barred.
“I had to investigate, so I appealed the decision to PVG and I only learned that in 2023 I was barred. For what reason?”
He added that he understood the barring referred to a care setting, but that he had never worked in that sector.
Conservative councillor and committee convener Joanna Mowat said the situation was ‘very unusual’, and asked Dr Danso if he had any idea why he might have failed a check.
He replied: “I have no idea. I haven’t taken any drug, I’ve not had any convictions, in fact it came as a surprise to myself.”
Cllr Mowat then asked if he had put in a subject access request – a demand to an organisation for information held about a person – to Disclosure Scotland.
Dr Danso replied that he had not.
When Insp Langsdale was asked for more information, he said he had made the request to Disclosure Scotland for more information.
But, the body refused to release the information on data protection grounds.
He added: “In this case, it’s a first for me, it simply hasn’t, so I can’t provide any more information as to why this situation has come about.”
The committee deliberated what to do, and agreed to try and contact Disclosure Scotland directly to see if they could get more information.
Cllr Mowat told Dr Danso: “When you get a bureaucratic ‘this person’s on a list, but we can’t tell you what for’, it goes against natural justice for a start.
“We want to have the best information to do the right thing by you, but also the right people to the people who are in your taxi.
“We just don’t have sufficient information. We haven’t said no today. I think it’s an interesting case, and it’s not one for councillors.”
She recommended that Dr Danso reach out to his MSP to see if they could help.
She added: “That is concerning for anyone. We will see what we can do, and if we can get the information.”
Dr Danso said he would be consulting the Citizen’s Advice Bureau for help as well.
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