§ Mr. Higginsasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the full range of Government subsidies and tax concessions available to bus operators and the estimated cost to public funds of each of them in total, and the corresponding figures for the Southdown Bus Company.
§ Mr. HoramLocal authority support for local public transport services can attract both rate support grant and, in England and Wales, transport supplementary grant. Operators of public service vehicles are eligible for new bus grant and rebate of duty charged on bus fuel for stage carriage services.
Local authority expenditure on revenue support in Great Britain in 1977–78 was around £150 million. Figures for new bus grant and fuel grant were £48.8 million and £57.5 million respectively. Corresponding 18W figures for Southdown Motor Services for the 1977 calendar year are: revenue support—£1.28 million; new bus grant—£1.2 million; fuel duty rebate—£0.75 million.