Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the National Bus Strategy, what criteria the Government plans to use to make an assessment of whether a bus journey is socially necessary.

The National Bus Strategy sets out how we expect Local Transport Authorities in collaboration with bus operators to deliver more comprehensive, socially necessary services, including services to smaller and isolated places and more services in the evenings and at weekends.

We will issue further guidance on the meaning and role of socially necessary services in due course.