§ Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will identify the statutory powers relating to the provision of school transport and, in particular, specify any limitations in respect of distance and cost imposed upon local education authorities in regard thereto and the degree of discretion in relation to the above matters accorded to the said authorities.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonSection 55 of the Education Act 1944 gives authorities wide powers in relation to the provision of school transport. The only requirement as to distance is that, by virtue of Section 39 of the Act, free transport must be provided for pupils whose home is outside the statutory walking distance—defined as two miles for pupils under 8 and three miles for older pupils—from the nearest suitable school. There are no specific limitations as to cost, but the extent to which an authority can exercise its discretionary powers will, of course, depend on the resources it is able to make available.