To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce further safety standards for school buses. [112540]

I have no plans to amend the construction standards of buses used specifically for school transport.The Department consulted last year on the reform of national regulations and approval schemes for the construction and use of minibuses, buses and coaches. The main purpose of these changes is to simplify the current regulatory structure and align our requirements with those common in the rest of Europe. While these proposals do not differentiate between the uses to which buses and coaches are put they will effect all such vehicles including those used for school transport.