§ Lord ELTONMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what decisions they have reached upon the recommendations of the Department of Education and Science Report on School Transport published in October 1973 and when those decisions will be implemented.
§ Lord MELCHETTMy Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has 538 recently completed consultations about the recommendations in this Report. He will now proceed to consider those recommendations in the light of the views expressed to him by the bodies consulted. This consideration will be completed as soon as possible but in view of the complex issues involved it may be some time before he can make a statement.
§ Lord ELTONMy Lords, while wishing to thank the noble Lord for that reply, I should like to ask him whether he is aware that he said almost nothing, except that there would be no answer forthcoming for a good deal longer? Would he not agree that the present statutory walking distances of two miles for children under eight and three miles for older children exclude the vast majority from participating in free transport schemes; that these distances are unrealistic in view of present day traffic hazards, and that there is urgency in the present situation because the scheme that is recommended in this Report—
§ Lord ELTONMy Lords, I am asking a Question. I am asking whether the noble Lord realises that the scheme recommended, by taking many private cars off the school run, will mean that everybody will save a good deal of petrol.
§ Lord MELCHETTMy Lords, I am sorry that the noble Lord was not satisfied with my original reply. The Report was submitted to the Minister in October 1973 and it was published in December 1973—and not, as the noble Lord stated in his Question, in October. The Department wrote to local authority associations and others on 31st January 1974 and the most recent reply arrived only last month. In view of the complex issues involved, it is important that my right honourable friend should give the matter careful consideration. My right honourable friend is aware of the doubts raised on the current statutory walking distance. This is something that he will be taking into account in his consideration of the Report and of the consultations that he has had.
§ Lord ELTONMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord to confirm that the question of fuel saving, so apposite at this moment, will be taken into consideration at the same time?
§ Lord MELCHETTYes, my Lords.
§ Lord LEATHERLANDMy Lords, will my noble friend try to persuade the Minister when he considers this matter not only to take note of the two miles and the three miles which are usually specified, but also of the dangerous nature of some of the roads that children must cross even within that mileage limit? Will he also try to persuade his right honourable friend when he makes his decision not to take up the brutal attitude that some Conservative Ministers took up when I led a deputation pleading for concessions from the Essex County Council some time ago?
§ Lord MELCHETTMy Lords, I will certainly draw my right honourable friend's attention to the first point. I do not think that there will be any need to draw his attention to the second.
§ Lord BELSTEADMy Lords, could the noble Lord say what school transport costs per year, and whether the Department have quantified the costs involved in implementing the recommendations of the Report?
§ Lord MELCHETTMy Lords, I think that that is another question; but my right honourable friend will also consider that when considering the Report's recommendations.
§ Lord ROBBINSMy Lords, following the examination of the Question already made in this House this afternoon, would the noble Lord agree that the dates he has revealed might be taken to be a comment on the machinery of Government?
§ Lord MELCHETTNo, my Lords. I think that the Government have acted with commendable speed in these matters. The replies from the bodies consulted took some time to come in.
§ Lord SLATERMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that the regional question of transport for schoolchildren is not something new, and that it has been raised before successive Governments in the other place time and time again? Does it not seem strange that at this moment when this Question is asked the Government should ask for more time for further consideration on these issues? Docs my noble friend not agree that this 540 is entirely wrong and that they ought to speed up the matter?
§ Lord MELCHETTMy Lords, the last reply to requests for opinions on this Report arrived last month. One of the reasons why it has been under consideration for some time is that it is a complex and difficult matter. It would be wrong for my right honourable friend to rush out a Statement on the subject after having just received the Report's recommendations.
§ Lord SLATERMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that that answer is not satisfactory? He talks about it being a complex matter and says that it will take some time before the Government are able to arrive at a decision. Can it be so complex a matter? It has been raised in the other place on many occasions. Would not my noble friend agree that it ought to have been attended to before now and that because the issue is so serious a decision ought to be immediately forthcoming from the Government?
§ Lord MELCHETTMy Lords, my right honourable friend is aware that this is a serious matter and one to which considerable thought has been given in many places. He will reach a decision about it as soon as he can.