HC Deb 29 October 1985 vol 84 cc949-50

. —(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, the Secretary of State may, with the approval of the Treasury, make in such cases as he thinks fit a grant to any person in respect of qualifying mileage run at any time during the period of four years beginning with the date on which this section comes into force by vehicles used by that person in operating a service which at the time in question is a service eligible for grant under this section. (2) A service is eligible for grant under this section at any time when—

  1. (a) it is a service qualifying for fuel duty grant;
  2. (b) it is being operated wholly or partly within a rural area in Great Britain (outside London); and
  3. (c) it meets such other requirements as the Secretary of State thinks fit to impose;
and in subsection (1) above "qualifying mileage" means, in relation to any vehicle, mileage run by that vehicle within any such rural area. (3) Grants under this section shall be of such amount and subject to such conditions (including conditions requiring their repayment in specified circumstances) as the Secretary of State may, with the approval of the Treasury, determine, either generally or in relation to any particular cases or classes of case.")

No. 252. in page 99, line 9, leave out from beginning to ("and") in line 10.

No. 253, in page 99, line 13, at end insert (1A) For the purposes of this Part of this Act, a service is a service qualifying for fuel duty grant at any time when fuel used in operating the service falls to be taken into account for the purpose of calculating grant payable to the operator of the service under section 92 of the Finance Act 1965 (grant to operators of bus services towards duty charged on bus fuel).

No. 287, in clause 121 page 118, line 39, leave out "95" and insert (Grants for establishment, etc., of rural passenger services in Wales and Scotland), (Transitional rural bus grants)"

Mr. Mitchell

the new provisions do not mean any fundamental change. They describe in more detail the powers to make the rural grants.

Clause 95, as it stands, apparently gives the Secretary of State very wide powers to make grants, so wide that I am advised that its interpretation could have given rise to serious difficulties in its practical application. The new clauses are designed to replace clause 95 and define with greater precision the two grants that we propose to pay towards rural services.

Mr. Speaker

I remind the House that this amendment involves privilege.

Question put and agreed to.

Mr. Speaker

Lords amendment No. 243 also involves privilege.

Lords amendment No. 24.3 agreed to.

Mr. Speaker

I will ensure that the appropriate entry in made in the Journal.

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