Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research his Department has undertaken on the effect of recent reductions to funding for concessionary bus passes on adults with (a) learning difficulties and (b) autism.

Funding to local authorities for concessionary travel is not provided in isolation, but as part of their Local Government Finance Settlement. This Formula Grant funding is not ring-fenced, which enables authorities to make spending decisions that more closely match local needs and circumstances.

Eligibility for the statutory concession on medical grounds is assessed by local authorities on a case by case basis, using the seven criteria set down in legislation and supported by the Department’s published guidance.

Local authorities also have the powers to offer concessions over and above the statutory minimum, for instance by extending the concession to residents who may not qualify under the statutory criteria.