asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in view of the increases in bus fares and the difficulty of obtaining public transport in the rural areas, he will review the rule that local education authorities may only pay for the transport of schoolchildren if they live more than three miles from the nearest school.

There is no such rule. Local education authorities have discretion under Section 55 of the Education Act, 1944, to provide transport for schoolchildren living within the statutory walking distances of two miles for children under eight and three miles for others.