§ Lord Bradshawasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in view of rising costs and the desirability of using rural bus service grant marginally to augment existing bus services, they will raise the current de minimis levels relating to subsidised services. [HL1548]
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston)As I said in my reply to the noble Lord on 12 February (Official Report, col. WA 1), while we have no immediate plans to change the de minimis limits, we will keep this matter under review in the light of any representations from local authorities and others.
We announced in January that up to 20 per cent of each local authority's rural bus subsidy grant may be used to support existing rural bus services.