§ Mr. Parrisasked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement about ministerial responsibility for local bus services under the Transport Act 1985.
§ The Prime MinisterMinisterial responsibility in Great Britain for overall Government policy towards the bus industry, for the appointment of traffic com missioners, for driver and bus licensing, and for administering the fuel duty rebate system will remain with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. He will also continue to have ministerial responsibility for taxis and hire cars in England and Wales and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will continue to be responsible for this in Scotland.
For the new functions created by the Transport Act 1985, I have decided that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport will be responsible in relation to the operation of the new registration system for local services, the privatisation of the National Bus Company, the establishment of a disabled persons transport advisory committee and the administration of transitional rural bus grants. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Transport will be responsible in Scotland, Wales and England respectively for the determination of traffic regulation conditions appeals; the establishment and oversight of new local authority and PTE bus companies; the issuing of regulations governing the procedure for tendering for subsidised services; and the determination of applications related to concessionary fares and related matters including the issue of regulations. The administration of the new system of rural innovation grants in Scotland and Wales under section 108 of the new Act will also fall to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales respectively.