School Transport

HC Deb 08 May 1996 vol 277 cc182-3W

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the children of the United Kingdom go to school in Northern Ireland; what percentage of the expenditure on school transport in the United Kingdom is spent in Northern Ireland; and what factors underlie the level of expenditure. [27741]

Mr. Ancram

In 1993–94, the last year for which comparative figures are available, 4 per cent. of school children in the United Kingdom attended school in Northern Ireland. School transport expenditure in Northern Ireland was 7.9 per cent. of the school transport bill for the United Kingdom. In Northern Ireland school transport is currently provided where a pupil gains admission to a school outside statutory walking distance from home—defined as two miles for pupils under 11 and three miles for other pupils—and provided that a public or board transport service to or in the vicinity of the school is already available. Transport arrangements in other areas of the United Kingdom are the responsibility of the relevant Secretaries of State.

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current expenditure on school transport in Northern Ireland; and what is the projected expenditure over the next five years. [27742]

Mr. Ancram

Recurrent expenditure on home-to-school transport in Northern Ireland in 1994–95, the latest year for which actual expenditure is available, was £34.7 million. If present transport arrangements were to continue, it is estimated that annual expenditure would rise to more than £41 million by 1998–99. Projections of expenditure beyond 1998–99 are not yet available.

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his proposals for school transport and the administrative and legislative mechanisms that will be used to implement them. [27743]

Mr. Ancram

A consultation paper outlining a number of options for reducing the escalating costs of transport was issued in December 1995. As a result of the views expressed, I have asked education and library boards to take forward further detailed consideration of the options, including consultation with schools and other interests. That process is still on-going and in the interim the existing arrangements remain unchanged.