To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who the initial recipients will be of the additional funding for the new national concessionary travel scheme announced by the Chancellor in March. (78506)

No decisions have been taken yet on how the national scheme will be delivered in 2008. The Department for Transport will be working with representatives from the bus industry, local government and other interested parties to consider the best framework for delivering the improved concessionary fares entitlement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many appeals have been lodged with him by bus operators against concessionary travel schemes introduced in 2006; which concessionary travel authorities' schemes have been appealed against; and when he will (a) consider and (b) decide each appeal. (78507)

60 appeals have been lodged with the Secretary of State against the following concessionary travel schemes introduced on 1 April 2006:

Bedfordshire County Council

Bristol City Council (on behalf of Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset)

Cherwell District Council

City of York Council

Devon County Council

Dorset County Council

East Sussex County Council

Essex County Council

Gloucestershire County Council

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive

Hampshire County Council

Harrogate Borough Council

Kent County Council

Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive

Norfolk County Council

Redditch Borough Council

South Oxfordshire District Council

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive

Suffolk County Council

Warwickshire County Council

West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive

West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive

Wiltshire County Council

The legislation does not specify any time limit for reaching a decision on appeals. The Secretary of State will consider and determine the appeals within a reasonable timeframe.