§ Mr. MaplesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will publish plans for extending fuel duty rebate to a wider range of community transport services; and what plans he has to include school bus transport within the rebate scheme. [11624]
§ Ms KeebleFollowing consultation with relevant organisations in the spring, we will be bringing forward regulations later in this financial year on the introduction of fuel duty rebate (FDR) for a wide range of community transport services.
As far as school transport is concerned, bus services specifically designed to convey only pupils to school are not eligible for rebate. However, services provided or secured by a local education authority are eligible providing that some seats on the vehicles concerned are normally available to the general public and are regularly used by them. There are a large number of school services that do receive FDR by virtue of the fact that they meet these eligibility criteria.