§ Mr. Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will examine the case for subsidising councils to fund rural bus routes to schools and to help families furthest from schools. [50922]
§ John HealeyI am aware of the increasing costs for home to school transport faced by councils in rural areas. We are considering these costs in working up a new local education authority funding system which will be introduced in 2003–04.