Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mike Kane and Neil Duncan-Jordan

Thursday 21st November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mike Kane]

Well, Mr Speaker, I do not know the particular details of the No. 2 or the No. 297—[Interruption.] Forgive me. As the hon. Member has pointed out, Kent county council has been given £23.1 million as part of our £1 billion package for buses. We are righting a lot of wrongs over the underfunding of rural services, in particular, over the years, and we expect to see a much better bus service across our whole country in the future.

[Neil Duncan-Jordan (Poole) (Lab)]

May I, too, associate myself with the tributes paid to John Prescott?

Over the past few weeks, a number of parents have contacted me to ask whether school transport can be brought into the scope of the bus fare cap. Will the Minister agree to look at that?

[Mike Kane]

Services from participating operators that serve schools are open to members of the public and run all year round and will be eligible for inclusion in the scheme. The current fare cap does not allow for the inclusion of closed school services at the moment—that is for logistic reasons, I understand.