§ Mr. Pardoeasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total value of central and local government subsidies to public passenger transport, excluding concessionary fare schemes, in 1976–77, in the United Kingdom, Scotland, Wales, the South-East Region of England, the South-West Region and Cornwall, respectively, in cash terms and per head of population.
§ Mr. William RodgersDetailed information is not available. Central Government support for rail passenger services is given towards the whole of the rail network and cannot be allocated to par-450W ticular areas. Nor is it possible to allocate all support for bus services to regions in England. The total amount of central and local government subsidies to rail, bus and underground in 1976–77, is estimated to be £623.8 million—£11.2 per head—of which the amount for bus and underground is estimated to be £276.4 million—£5 per head.
Local government subsidies* for rail, bus and underground are given in the table below.
£ million £ per head United Kingdom 209.5 3.8 Scotland 22.4 4.3 Wales 5.0 1.8 SE Region (including London) 81.0 4.8 SW Region 4.0 1.0 Cornwall 1.0 2.6 * These are the most recent estimates of local government subsidies, but I understand that some authorities are considering proposals for increased fares, and this may reduce their expenditure on revenue support.