Concessionary Travel (Hansard, 23 October 2003)

§ Patrick Mercer
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate he has made of the costs to(a) each local authority, (b) London boroughs and (c) local government as a whole of extending the national minimum standards for concessionary travel schemes to give people over the age of 70 a 100 per cent. Discount on fares; [133960]
(2) what estimate he has made of the increase in the local government finance settlement necessary fully to reimburse local government for the costs of increasing the national minimum standards for concessionary 680W travel schemes from a 50 per cent. Discount to a (a) 60 per cent., (b) 75 per cent., (c) 90 per cent. And (d) 100 per cent. discount for (i) people over the age of 60, (ii) the disabled and (iii) in total; [133961]
(3)what estimate he has made of the cost to (a) each local authority, (b) London boroughs and (c) local government as a whole, of increasing the national minimum standards for concessionary travel schemes from a 50 per cent. discount to a (i) 60 per cent., (ii) 75 per cent., (iii) 90 per cent. and (iv) 100 per cent. discount for (A) people over the age of 60 years, (B) the disabled and (C) in total; [133962]
(4)what estimate he has made of the change in the local government finance settlement necessary fully to reimburse local government for the costs of extending the national minimum standards for concessionary travel schemes to give people over the age of 70 a 100 per cent. discount on fares. [133963]

§ Mr. McNulty
The extension this year of the minimum statutory requirement to men aged 60 to 65 cost £50 million per year. The Government do not plan further extensions of concessionary fares. We estimate that free concessionary travel for pensioners in England (women aged 60 and over, men aged 65 and over) would cost in excess of an extra £300 million a year. We have not costed all the variants listed in the question and could do so only at disproportionate cost.

§ Mr. Dodds
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the recognition and acceptance of public transport concessionary passes, issued in Northern Ireland, by public transport services in England. [133242]

§ Dr. Howells
There are no arrangements in place between England and Northern Ireland over the recognition and acceptance of concessionary travel passes, nor do we have plans to set up such a scheme.
In England, local authorities implement concessionary bus travel schemes for their eligible residents. Beyond the statutory half-fare minimum requirement, local authorities are free to determine the extent and generosity of their schemes within their areas.
Local authorities can negotiate with train operating companies to participate in local concessionary rail fare schemes, or ask the Strategic Rail Authority to require franchised train operators to participate in them. The SRA will only do this if it does not result in additional cost to it or the operator. In addition, national discounted railcard schemes for the elderly, disabled and young in Great Britain are protected by the Railways Act 1993.