To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with representatives of West Lancashire district council on (a) funding for, (b) pool arrangements for and (c) surplus from the national concessionary bus fares scheme. (275845)

Department for Transport Ministers have not had any recent discussions with representatives of West Lancashire district council. However, Ministers have had discussions with representatives of other councils within the Lancashire region.

Departmental officials have met with representatives of the Lancashire Concessionary Travel Scheme, of which West Lancashire is a member. This group comprises the districts and unitary authorities of Lancashire plus the county council. These discussions focused on the concerns that some local authorities in Lancashire have regarding the allocation of concessionary travel special grant funding.

I am aware that authorities within the Lancashire County Scheme already choose to pool a proportion of their funding. This year West Lancashire will receive £252,714 of special grant funding to meet the cost of the new England-wide concession. This represents an increase of 23 per cent. on the authority's spend on concessionary travel in 2007-08.

As funding for concessionary travel is not ring-fenced, local authorities are free to spend the money on any services, provided they meet their statutory obligations. This is consistent with wider policy on local government funding of giving authorities greater freedom and flexibility.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department has provided for West Lancashire district council in respect of the national concessionary bus fares scheme in each year since the scheme was introduced. (275846)

Before 1 April 2008, funding for the statutory minimum bus concession was provided exclusively through the Formula Grant system, which is administered by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG). The Department for Transport therefore provided no separate funding to West Lancashire district council for concessionary bus travel from 2001, when the statutory minimum was first introduced, until 2008.

The Department did however provide West Lancashire with £50,404 in 2007-08 for the cost of producing and issuing the new England-wide bus passes to all those eligible.

In 2008-09 West Lancashire district council received additional special grant funding from the Department for Transport of £246,891 to meet the additional cost of the new, England-wide concession. This represents an increase of 22 per cent. on the authority's spend on concessionary travel in 2007-08. In 2009-10 West Lancashire district council will receive special grant funding of £252,714.