The Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee reports to the Parliament as follows—

The National Bus Travel Concession Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Order 2022 [draft] was laid before the Parliament on 21 January 2022 and is subject to the affirmative procedure. It was referred to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee for consideration.

The instrument provides entitlement for free bus travel to those meeting certain criteria and sets the reimbursement rates for transport operators for the next financial year.

The Policy Note accompanying this Order explains that the instrument sets out the capped level of funding for the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons and reimbursement rates for this scheme as well as the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Young Persons in 2022-23.

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered this instrument at its meeting on 1 February 2022 and determined that it did not need to draw the attention of Parliament to the instrument on any grounds within its remit. Read the Official Report for the meeting on 1 February 2022.

At its meeting on 8 March 2022, the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee took evidence on the instrument from —

• Jenny Gilruth, Minister for Transport,

• Heather Auld, Solicitor, Scottish Government,

• Tom Davy, Head of Bus Strategy and Concessions Policy and

• Debbie Walker, Business and Operations Manager, Transport Scotland.

Following the evidence session, the Minister moved motion S6M-02903—

That the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee recommends that The National Bus Travel Concession Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Order 2022 [draft] be approved.

The motion was agreed to without division.

The evidence on this instrument can be found in the Official Report (available from 11 March 2022) at the following link: Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee Official Reports.