§ Mrs. Bainasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the annual cost to each region and island authority of providing pupils with free bus travel to and from school.
§ Mr. McElhoneThe information available does not distinguish between modes of travel. The provisional outturn of expenditure for 1977–78 on all travel between home and school is as follows:
£ At Outturn Prices Borders 537,597 Central 702,184 Dumfries and Galloway 721,733 Fife 663,000 Grampian 1,683,703 Highland 1,061,298 Lothian 1,594,646 Strathclyde 4,852,289 Tayside 943,848 Orkney 204,065 Shetland 213,000 Western Isles 251,490 Total Scotland 13,428,853
§ Mrs. Bainasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the distance beyond which pupils are entitled to free bus travel to and from school in each region and island authority in Scotland.
§ Mr. McElhoneThe statutory walking distances are over two miles for children under the age of 8 and over three miles for all other children. The following360W authorities have exercised their discretion to reduce these limits to the extent shown:
Under 8 Over 8 Fife … … 2 2 Lothian … … 2 2
All primary All seconddry Strathclyde … 1 2 In addition the three islands areas apply shorter distances in winter and where there are special local circumstances, and Central region does so in parts of its area.
§ Mrs. Bainasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pupils receive free bus travel to and from school in each region and island authority area.
§ Mr. McElhoneThe information is as follows:
Borders … … 6,000 Central … … 12,000 Dumfries and Galloway … 15,000 Fife … … 13,000 Grampian … … 24,000 Highland … … 10,000 Lothian … … 21,000 Strathclyde … … 82,000 Tayside … … 8,000 Orkney … … 2,000 Shetland … … 2,000 Western Isles … … 2,000 The figures refer to the beginning of the present school session and are expressed to the nearest thousand.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received requesting Government action to provide all children with free travel to school; and, in the light of the wide support for this measure, if he will now make a statement on Government policy on the subject.
§ Mr. McElhoneMy right hon. Friend has received no recent representations in this behalf and he has no proposals under consideration at present to alter the existing arrangements for home to school transport.