§ Dr. BrandTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how much of the additional funding for public transport announced in the Budget will be available for ferry travel to and from offshore communities; [36218]
(2) what proportion of the rural transport subsidy announced in the Budget will be available for ferry travel to and from offshore communities. [36219]
§ Dr. StrangThe Budget included provision for an additional £500 million in total for public transport over the next three years. There is no specific provision for ferry services. £365 million is being made available for London Transport. There is also an additional £50 million a year across the UK for rural public transport. £45 million of this will be used to support additional bus services in rural areas. The rest will be made available for community-based transport schemes. Criteria will be developed to ensure a fair and comparable distribution process, and to make sure the money gets to where it is most needed.