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Concessionary Bus Travel Bill [HL]

I support the amendment. I was grateful at Second Reading for the Minister’s reassurance that the definition of ““disabled”” in the Bill will not change. He said that in this legislation the Government will use the same definition as the one which governs entitlement. That is very welcome as far as it goes but, as the noble Baroness, Lady Hanham, has explained, there is a need for the definition to change a little to incorporate those with mental health difficulties. The Minister may feel that such people are adequately covered already, in the way indicated by the noble Baroness, under the Road Traffic Act, but it would be clearer if the definition were consolidated. One could then see on the face of the Bill all of the groups of disabled people to whom the concession applied and would not have to grub around in different Acts of Parliament in order to find a comprehensive statement. On that basis, I support the amendment.