asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schoolchildren in England are entitled to free school transport; what proportion of the total school population in England this represents; and if he will list the numbers and proportion of schoolchildren in England entitled to free

The information requested for the three main rates of grant for mandatory awards is as follows:school transport within each education authority.

Information is not available to answer the question in this form, but it has been estimated that about 800,000 children in England and Wales living more than the statutory walking distance from school are transported free; this represents approximately 9 per cent. of the relevant maintained school population.