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There have been 3,385 existing bus registration cancellations in 2013/14 to date (with 5 days of the reporting period remaining). This is a reduction on the previous two years. There were also 3,303 new bus service registrations processed by the Office of the Traffic Commissioner across the same 12 month period. <\/p>
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Concessionary travel should have no impact on the viability of local bus services as reimbursement to bus operators is not a means to support services which are not viable on a commercial basis. Legislation requires Travel Concession Authorities (TCAs) to ensure that bus operators are left "no better off and no worse off" as a consequence of taking part in the mandatory travel concession. In general, TCAs set their Schemes each year and they have discretion to decide whether or not to offer more than the mandatory concession in their own Scheme areas.<\/p>
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<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-03-27T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-03-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the number of bus services that have closed in the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of the effects of changes to the concessionary travel scheme on the viability of local bus services.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1482", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Graham Stuart"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Beverley and Holderness"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Graham Stuart"} ], "uin" : "193214"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/44515", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/44515/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
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We expect the electric powered rolling stock to begin services on the electrified Liverpool to Manchester line from the December 2014 timetable.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-03-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-03-26T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-03-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects new trains to run on the electrified Liverpool to Manchester line.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/484", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Louise Ellman"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Liverpool, Riverside"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Louise Ellman"} ], "uin" : "193227"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/44516", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/44516/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
<\/p>
The electric powered rolling stock being supplied for the operation on the electrified Liverpool to Manchester line will be cascaded rolling stock. We are currently in negotiations with the current operator with regard to this matter, and will confirm full details in due course.<\/p>
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It will be for bidders for the new long-term franchise beginning in February 2016 to propose new rolling stock beyond that date. <\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1585", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Hammond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wimbledon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Hammond"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-03-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-03-26T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-03-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date orders were placed for rolling stock to operate on the electrified Liverpool to Manchester line.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/484", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Louise Ellman"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Liverpool, Riverside"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Louise Ellman"} ], "uin" : "193229"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/44527", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/44527/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In 2015-16, in addition to funding all local authorities at the same cash level per pupil as in 2014-15, we will add a further £350 million funding for the least fairly-funded authorities.To allocate this as fairly as possible, we selected the characteristics we think contribute most to the attainment of pupils and viability of schools, and set indicative minimum funding levels for each of these. The characteristics we selected were as follows:<\/p>
1. An age-weighted basic per pupil unit of funding; and<\/p>
2. Additional units of funding for:<\/p>
2.1. deprived pupils;<\/p>
2.2. pupils with low attainment;<\/p>
2.3. pupils with English as an additional language;<\/p>
2.4. children who are looked after, for example in foster care;<\/p>
2.5. a lump sum for all schools, regardless of size, to help with fixed costs; and<\/p>
2.6. funding for schools serving sparsely populated rural areas.<\/p>
These are all characteristics that local authorities already use in distributing schools funding. We looked at the average value attached by local authorities to each of these characteristics and used these as a basis for our proposed minimum funding levels for primary and secondary pupils and schools. As Staffordshire already attracts funding above these levels, it does not stand to gain from these proposals.<\/p>
Full details of our methodology can be found in the consultation document at:<\/p>