Written question asked by Alan Hurst (Labour) on Wednesday, 18 April 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 26 April 2001. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Thursday, 26 April 2001 on behalf of the Department for Education and Employment.

Dept for Education and Employment

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many school children received free school transport in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997, (d) 1998, (e) 1999 and (f) 2000; and at what cost. - Inc table.

Answer: Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many school children received free school transport in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997, (d) 1998, (e) 1999 and (f) 2000; and at what cost. [158771] Jacqui Smith: My Department does not collect from local education authorities a breakdown of numbers, or costs, relating specifically to children who receive free transport for the individual years requested. We estimate that approximately 800,000 pupils in England receive free transport to school every year. Total local education authority expenditure in England on home to school transport, including discretionary free and subsidised fares, in the relevant financial years was as follows. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. £ million 1994-95 319 1995-96 345 1996-97 382 1997-98 418 1998-99 444 1999-2000{1} 485 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Provisional

Secondary information