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Concessionary Bus Travel Bill [HL]

I thank the Minister for that not very helpful reply. Interestingly, he has been very adaptable on the last two amendments but we do not seem to be getting quite the same response on this matter. That is unfortunate because mental health disability, as everyone now recognises, is of significant importance in people’s lives. We should probably encompass mental health whenever we talk about disability. My amendment would extend the definition of disability in the Transport Act 2000. It would probably not be a very expensive concession either, given the number of people who might be involved in it, but I have not costed it. I am also slightly surprised that the Minister does not accept that it would be helpful to reproduce in the Bill the definitions in the Transport Act 2000. That is what my first amendment was about, although it was extended to include mental health. It is quite important that people understand and know the intention behind legislation. Far too often, we put forward legislation that is a bit wobbly and does not really help people when they see it. As the noble Lord, Lord Low, said, you have to go fumbling around other legislation to find out what is intended. We will consider whether we want to press the matter further but the amendment does have merit. I am not in a position to withdraw Amendment No. 16 at the moment. The wording of subsection (6) is interesting. It seeks to change, "““The Secretary of State may issue guidance to travel concession authorities””," to ““the Secretary of State shall issue guidance to travel concession authorities””. If when determining whether a person is a disabled person for the purposes of subsection (4) you have to have regard to any guidance that may be issued, it is sensible that the Secretary of State should have to issue guidance to which you have to have regard. It is a question of the conditional against the positive and it would be of benefit if the Secretary of State were to issue that guidance to which people must have regard, otherwise we might have to turn the conditionals around within the terms of the sentence. For today, I will withdraw the amendment and not press the other amendment to a vote but I do not promise that we will not return to them. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.