65 and 66. Mr. Bob Brownasked the Minister of Transport (1) what plans she has to introduce legislation to amend the Travel Concessions Act, 1964, in order to make travel concessions available to all qualified persons as laid down in the 1964 Act;
(2) if she is aware of the comparative inequalities at present experienced between the retired elderly people, the disabled and schoolchildren because of the anomalies caused by the Travel Concessions Act, 1964; and what steps she will take to remove these anomalies.
§ 76. Mr. Raphael Tuckasked the Minister of Transport whether she will now introduce legislation to provide for the grant of concessionary fares to old people on buses and trains.
§ Mrs. CastleI am aware of these anomalies and I intend that the Passenger 109W Transport Authorities shall have power to arrange travel concessions on their own services and on services which they arrange for other operators to provide in their areas. Details of my proposals for this will be given in the forthcoming White Paper and the necessary legislative provision will be made in the Transport Bill.
I am also considering whether other provision should be made, pending the setting up of these Authorities, and I will make a further statement about this as soon as possible.