To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has had discussions with National Express on bringing them wholly or partially into the national concessionary bus fares scheme. (190874)

I have had no discussions with National Express regarding the extension of concessionary travel to their coaches. There are no proposals at present to extend statutory concessionary fares to forms of transport other than local bus services.

Since 2003, there has been a half-fare concessionary travel scheme for older and eligible disabled people on long distance coaches. It is a voluntary scheme but the major providers of long distance coach services, including National Express, take part. The scheme will continue following the introduction of the England-wide free off-peak local bus travel concession in April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the cost of implementation of the national concessionary bus fares scheme. (191330)

Our assessment of the likely cost impact of the new concession is based on generous assumptions about pass take-up, fares and increased patronage. On this basis we have allocated an additional £212 million to travel concession authorities from 1 April, enough to fund around an extra £200 million bus journeys across England. We are confident that this funding is sufficient to cover the additional cost of the new concession.

The money will be distributed by a special grant, in line with the wishes of local government itself, using a formula to direct funding to areas likely to experience increased costs such as urban and tourist centres and coastal towns. The formula used is based on the most popular option with local authorities, as determined from our recent consultation on the issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Answer of 7 February 2008, Official Report, column 1414W, on concessionary bus travel, what funding has been provided for bus concession travel through the formula grant process in each year for which figures are available; and how much and what percentage of that funding was allocated to Taunton Deane local authority area in each of those years. (187901)

Between 2000 and 31 March 2006 the statutory minimum bus concession was half fare off-peak local bus travel within an eligible resident’s local authority area. During this period funding to local authorities for the statutory minimum concession through formula grant was not separately identified.

From 1 April 2006, with the improvement to the statutory minimum concession to free off-peak local bus travel within a resident’s local authority area, the Government provided an extra £350 million in 2006-07 and a further £367.5 million in 2007-08. The Revenue Support Grant formula does not allow us to identify how much of that formula grant funding for concessionary travel was allocated to individual local authorities such as Taunton Deane borough council in those years.