§ Mr. John H. Osbornasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the outcome of recent representations from South Yorkshire County Council concerning the effect of public expenditure cuts on its cheap bus fare policy.
§ Dr. GilbertDuring the past two weeks I have discussed the level of support for buses and the implications for fare levels in the metropolitan counties at various meetings with the leaders of the metropolitan county councils and representatives of the local authority associations. I have made it quite clear that the metropolitan counties need to bring costs and revenue much closer into line and that a failure to do so must affect my decisions on the allocation of grant for 1977–78.