asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to legislate to give the Transport Users' Consultative Committee for Scotland the same element of control of bus services in the rural and urban areas as it has at present for rail and ferry services.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade will shortly be considering responses to the consultative document "Consumers' Interests and the Nationalised Industries", published last December. These responses include representations from the TUCC for Scotland itself that, inter alia, its—or its successor's—remit should be extended to cover bus services provided by the Scottish Bus Group. This suggestion will be considered carefully.