HC Deb 26 April 2001 vol 367 cc359-60W
Mr. Brady

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what powers he has to overrule the policy of(a) a local authority and (b) a passenger transport executive relating to subsidy of public transport for students at independent schools of music on the basis of local education authority contribution to fees. [158953]

Jacqui Smith

A local education authority must by law provide free school transport for a day pupil attending an independent school if it is the nearest suitable school to the pupil's home, and that home is beyond the statutory walking distance. Local education authorities have discretion to provide free or subsidised school transport for pupils who do not satisfy those criteria; but they are under no obligation to do so. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no powers to intervene in a local education authority's discretionary policy in such cases, except where he is satisfied that the authority is acting unreasonably in the exercise of statutory powers or duties. He has no relevant powers in relation to passenger transport executives. For pupils aided under my Department's Music and Ballet Scheme at four independent specialist music schools in England, means-tested help is available through that scheme towards transport costs.

Mr. Hurst

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many school children received free school transport in(a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997, (d) 1998, (e) 1999 and (f) 2000; and at what cost. [158771]

Jacqui Smith

My Department does not collect from local education authorities a breakdown of numbers, or costs, relating specifically to children who receive free transport for the individual years requested. We estimate that approximately 800,000 pupils in England receive free transport to school every year. Total local education authority expenditure in England on home to school transport, including discretionary free and subsidised fares, in the relevant financial years was as follows.

£ million
1994–95 319
1995–96 345
1996–97 382
1997–98 418
1998–99 444
1999–20001 485
1 Provisional