§ Mr. Ridsdaleasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will name those councils which do not operate concessionary fare schemes, and indicate the average rate income from a 1p rate of those councils compared with the average rate income of a 1p rate of those councils which operate concessionary fare schemes, and those councils which operate half-fare schemes or more;
(2) how many councils operate a concessionary fare scheme like the Greater London Council's ; and what the average rate income of a 1p rate is in these councils.
§ Mr. William Rodgers:Those district councils which do not operate schemes are listed in the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for West Stirlingshire (Mr. Canavan) on 5th December.—[Vol. 959, c. 647.]
Outside London, four metropolitan authorities and four district councils operate schemes providing free bus travel off-peak for people of pensionable age, and make no more than a nominal charge for the concessionary pass. Estimates of penny rate products are included in "Financial General and Rating Statistics" published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. Variation in penny rate products should not affect decisions about concessionary fares since the resources element of the rate support grant meets any deficiency in rateable resources below a national standard rateable value per head of population.