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Public Transport

Yes, the hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. Some 102 appeals were received in respect of travel concession schemes for the financial year 2007-08. Of these, 27 were subsequently withdrawn. A handful did not proceed owing to lack of data. Of the 71 appeal determinations, 33 were successful and 38 dismissed. They have been notified to the applicant bus operators and each relevant transport concession authority. This has been an interesting and constructive debate. I hope that my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Riverside and other Committee members will feel that our response to the Committee's report was helpful. I certainly believe that it was extremely useful to discuss some aspects that, in the normal course of most debates, are not necessarily raised but that have enormous implications, particularly when we are trying to encourage more people to use public transport and examining how to improve our bus services. I congratulate the Committee on the report. Question deferred, pursuant to paragraph (4) of Standing Order No. 54 (Consideration of estimates Etc.).