To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove of 19 June on subsidies to bus companies, what is the present annual cost to public funds of subsidies to bus companies in Greater Manchester.

We estimate that some £6.6 million in fuel duty rebate was paid to bus companies in Greater Manchester in 1988–89, and some £30,000 in rural bus grant. In addition, the passenger transport executive made direct subsidy payments to bus companies for running socially necessary services of £10.7 million; they also gave support to the bus industry in other ways such as the provision of bus stations and publicity for timetables.