Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - Public Transport (Support)
14. John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support public transport, in light of recent fuel price rises. (S3O-3680)
The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change (Stewart Stevenson):
We are investing significantly to improve Scotland’s public transport, including rail and tram services, travel information and bus services.
John Lamont: Does the minister agree that, following the massive increases in fuel prices in recent months, the time has come for a thorough and urgent review of the bus service operators grant, in an effort better to serve our hard-pressed bus companies, such as Munro’s of Jedburgh? Does he also agree that, in the light of the intense pressure that operators presently face, this is definitely not the time to attach strings to any rebates, whether related to vehicle type, energy efficiency or other criteria?
Stewart Stevenson: The very real difficulty that the member has in focusing on the bus service operators grant is that it accounts for less than 10 per cent of the increase in fuel costs that bus operators are experiencing. Where does the other 90 per cent come from? It comes entirely from the increase in fuel prices and the United Kingdom Government’s failure to respond to the constructive suggestion that my parliamentary colleagues at Westminster have made for a fuel duty regulator, which would cap the price of fuel and enable bus operators to be supported in an appropriate way through a mechanism that levelled out such increases. I suggest that the member direct his attention towards that issue and to ensuring that his parliamentary colleagues at Westminster support, in committee, the proposals for a fuel duty regulator.
