asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to improve the operation of the national concessionary bus fare scheme around the Welsh border where cross-border services operate; and [HL4705]

What steps they are taking to improve the operation of the national concessionary bus fare scheme around the Scottish border where cross-border services operate. [HL4706]

The national bus concession now allows off-peak travel on local buses throughout England. Local authorities in areas that border the devolved Administrations remain free to make their own arrangements to extend the concession to bus services that cross borders, at their own cost.

The Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 contains a power to introduce mutual recognition of concessionary bus passes across the UK. However, this would be a highly complex undertaking and not without cost and we have no immediate plans to implement it at this stage.