Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits extending the eligibility for the older person's bus pass to 60 year olds in England.

There have been no assessments on extending the statutory scheme for older person’s bus passes to all 60-year olds in England. Government is committed to retaining the current benefit which means ensuring its financial sustainability. The process of equalising the difference in the age of eligibility between men and women will go some way to support this.

However, local authorities have powers to provide enhancements to the statutory scheme should they wish to put these in place based on their assessments of local funding priorities and resources.