§ 8. Mr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his policy for tackling the problems of public transport in semi-rural areas such as the local authorities comprising the Colne Valley constituency.
§ Mr. PeytonMost of the problems are local in character and are best tackled by the operators and local authorities against the background of Government support.
§ Mr. ClarkThat is a most unsatisfactory answer. We have had the Buchanan Report for cities, we have had numerous reports, including the Jack Report, on the rural areas, and by the right hon. Gentleman's own admission on 17th February these semi-rural areas have quite separate problems. Will the right hon. Gentleman take it that his announcement will be much regretted?
§ Mr. PeytonI concede that the hon. Gentleman loses no opportunity to raise in the House of the problems of areas such as those he represents. A great deal is done by the Government to help. There are the new bus grants. There is the fuel grant. There is the grant which is payable by local authorities, half of which is returned to them by the Government. I concede that there is still a problem here; it was not exactly eased by the drivers' hours regulations.