HC Deb 07 November 2000 vol 356 cc130-1W
Mr. Willis

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his proposals to finance half-fare travel for senior citizens; and how much he expects each local authority to contribute. [135213]

Mr. Hill

We have said that local government will be reimbursed for the overall additional cost of the statutory minimum concessionary fare scheme, for which provision is made in the Transport Bill at present before Parliament. The Local Government Finance settlement will include an appropriate sum within the Environmental Protection and Cultural Services block, which will be distributed according to the relevant Standard Spending Assessment formula. The implications for individual authorities will depend on whether any concessionary fare scheme which they already provide meets the new statutory requirements, or if it does not what expenditure will be involved in bringing it up to the necessary standard.

Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what provision he has made to ensure that funding arrangements for the new concessionary fares(a) are affordable and (b) are sufficiently flexible to operate in rural areas. [137259]

Mr. Hill

Our estimate of the overall annual extra cost in England of the statutory minimum scheme provided for in the Transport Bill is in the order of £47 million. That amount is therefore being added to the lower tier of the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services (EPCS) Standard Spending Assessment (SSA), which is taken into account in the calculation of revenue support grant allocations. An authority's SSA will increase by a share of the £47 million that is broadly in proportion to its current share of the EPCS lower tier. The financial implications of the minimum standard will clearly vary from one local authority to another, according to whether an existing scheme is operated and if so what it provides.

Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will investigate different models of operation of concessionary fares in order to ensure that the available network is created between urban and rural areas. [137260]

Mr. Hill

The Transport Bill provides for a statutory minimum local authority concessionary fares scheme which will ensure travel for pensioners and disabled people on local buses at half fare or better, with a free bus pass. It is open to local authorities to act jointly to provide a concessionary fare scheme which applies across their combined area, and to provide concessionary travel on modes of transport other than bus.

Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will launch national and local campaigns to ensure that there is maximum take-up of new concessionary fares. [137262]

Mr. Hill

I certainly hope that there will be a high take-up of the new statutory minimum concessionary fare scheme. The effect will vary from place to place, according to what scheme each local authority does (or does not) provide already; I am sure that local authorities will draw the attention of their residents to local improvements.

Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the timetable for the full implementation of new concessionary fares. [137263]

Mr. Hill

We do not expect the new statutory minimum local authority concessionary fares scheme to come into operation before 1 April 2001.

Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with the Local Government Association regarding the introduction of new concessionary fares arrangements, with particular reference to rural areas. [137258]

Mr. Hill

My officials have had several discussions with representatives of the Local Government Association (LGA) regarding the introduction of the statutory minimum local authority concessionary fares scheme.

Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the role of taxis under the new arrangements for concessionary fares. [137261]

Mr. Hill

The Transport Bill provides for a statutory minimum local authority concessionary fares scheme for travel on local bus services. However, it is open to local authorities to offer schemes which provide for travel by taxi as an addition or an alternative to the statutory minimum scheme. In particular, schemes based on tokens, which can be used on taxis, can continue to be offered by local authorities, as an alternative to the statutory minimum. The necessary provision is contained in clause 145(6) of the Transport Bill, at present before Parliament.