HC Deb 08 December 2003 vol 415 cc197-8W
Mr. Soames

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage(a) community and (b) voluntary sectors in the transport field. [142434]

Mr. McNulty

The Department for Transport greatly values the contribution that the voluntary and community sector makes in the transport field and is committed to the Government wide Compact on working with the voluntary sector. The Department has produced a draft Strategy and Action Plan detailing how it will work with and engage the sector over the coming year and we are currently consulting on that draft.

The Department has also set up a Compact working group with membership drawn from the voluntary and community sector to progress this work and to help us ensure that we have a clear understanding of their issues and priorities.

Mr. Soames

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what support his Department is giving to voluntary organisations in the transport sector. [142435]

Mr. McNulty

The Department for Transport directly supports voluntary organisations in a number of ways. For example, it funds the information and advice service provided by the Community Transport Association. The CTA provides an extensive service to community transport operators and local authorities on a range of legal and operational issues. The Department also publishes guidance on the type of services that can be run and the legal framework for them. The Department also provides funding for 12 mobility centres in England, which give information and advice to disabled and older people on driving and other aspects of personal mobility and to Mobility Choice, the charity that runs the annual Mobility Roadshow.

In addition, funding the rural and urban bus challenge enables the Department to aid schemes run by community transport groups and last year regulations were introduced to extend the Bus Service Operators Grant.