§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will consider taking steps to make public transport free for those people who have retired early under the job release scheme and who are also disabled.
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§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeNo. Free transport for any group of people increases fares for the remaining passengers or increases rates and taxes for the general public or threatens services by making them less economic. It is always difficult to define any group of people which is actually a fair assessment of need and the beneficiaries of free transport schemes tend to be those in the group who happen to live near to services and find them convenient rather than those most in need.