§ Mr. Spriggsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from local authority transport undertakings and from trades unions for further assistance towards meeting transport deficits for the period 1974–75, and also to the latest date for which a financial loss on their undertakings has been assessed; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. GilbertI have received many such representations regarding both local authority and other bus undertakings, but the allocation of expenditure for bus revenue support for 1975–76 was decided upon within the Transport Supplementary Grant settlement in December 1974 and cannot be altered. The Transport Policies and Programmes submitted to me last summer by County Councils included revised estimates of deficits for 1975–76 and 1976–77 and formed the basis of my allocation of TSG for 1976–77.