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Chamber and committees

Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Subordinate Legislation considered by the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee on 7 March 2018

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Executive summary

  1. This report details the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee's consideration of the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Amendment Order 2018.

    The Committee agreed to recommend to the Parliament that it approves the draft instrument.

National Bus Travel Concessionary Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Amendment Order 2018 [draft]

The Committee reports to the Parliament as follows—

  1. On 26 January 2018, the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Amendment Order 2018 [draft] was laid before the Parliament and was subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

Purpose of the instrument

  1. The National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (“the Scheme”) provides an entitlement to free bus travel for people in Scotland who are aged 60 and over or who meet certain disability-related criteria. In line with the Scheme objectives, operators can be reimbursed for the costs of carrying concessionary passengers provided they are left no better or no worse off through their participation in the Scheme. This complies with EU rules relating to state aid.

  1. This instrument proposes to amend the reimbursement rate for the year 2018-19. The instrument sets this at 56.8% (of the adult single fare) and caps the level of funding at £202.1 million. The corresponding figures for last year (2017-18) are 56.9% and £196.16 million. The funding cap for 2018-19 is just over 3% higher than for 2017-18.

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee consideration

  1. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform (DPLR) Committee considered the instrument at its meeting on 6 February 2018 and agreed not to draw the Parliament's attention to the instrument on any grounds within its remit. The DPLR Committee's report can be found at the following link—

    https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/DPLR/2018/2/6/Subordinate-legislation-considered-by-the-Delegated-Powers-and-Law-Reform-Committee-on-6-February-2018#Introduction

Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee consideration

  1. At its 7th meeting of 2018, held on 7 March, the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee took evidence on this instrument from Humza Yousaf, the Minister for Transport and the Islands, and his officials.

  1. The Committee noted that the Minister would respond in writing to provide further information from the past 10 years on the budgetary cap and payment figures in addition to a breakdown of the budget for concessionary fares and bus services.

  1. The Minister subsequently moved the following motion in his name—

    S5M-03819-That the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee recommends that the National Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Amendment Order 2018 [draft] be approved.

  1. The Committee agreed the motion without division.

  1. The Official Report of the meeting is available at the following web page—

    http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=11407&mode=pdf

Recommendation

  1. The Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee recommends to the Parliament that National Bus Travel Concessionary Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Amendment Order 2018 [draft] be approved.