Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-03-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether local authorities are obliged to provide free school transport to (a) all eligible children and (b) eligible children who receive the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance.

Nick Gibb

Local authorities have a statutory duty under section 508B of the Education Act 1996 to make suitable travel arrangements for all eligible children attending their nearest suitable school. This includes children with special education needs (SEN) or a disability or mobility problem (including temporary conditions) if their SEN or disability or mobility problem means that they could not reasonably be expected to walk to the school. Being in receipt of the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (a benefit with different eligibility criteria and assessment process administered by the Department for Work and Pensions) does not necessarily confer eligibility for free home to school transport but neither does it preclude it if the conditions above are met.