To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the additional cost to public transport providers in the United Kingdom from the increases in fuel duty in the Budget. [77909]

[holding answer 22 March 1999]: Public transport provision in the United Kingdom should not be significantly affected as my Department announced following the Budget that the level of fuel duty rebate payable to operators of local bus services would be immediately raised in line with the increase in fuel duty. This equates to a value of around £50 million per annum. The small increase in gas oil duty should only have minimal impact on train operating costs.