To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what discussions have taken place between her Department and the Department for Transport on the funding shortfall in the budget of the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority and its concessionary travel schemes; (116099)

I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Transport the Member for Lincoln (Gillian Merron) on 9 January 2007, Official Report, column 474W, which sets out the discussions our Departments have had on this issue. The Government have provided significant additional funding for local authorities in 2006-07 and 2007-08 for all local services including local authorities’ responsibilities for concessionary travel schemes. The Local Government Finance Settlement 2007-08 provides for an increase in Government grant of£3.1 billion or 4.9 per cent. on a like for like basis.