Concessionary Bus Travel Bill [Lords]

I shall make a couple of points. First, bus patronage is increasing in some localities outside London, and such increases often reflect effective partnership working between the local authority and the local bus operator. However, the hon. Gentleman is right to the extent that he acknowledges that those relationships are not working effectively in too many communities across the country. That is why this Labour Government published ““Putting Passengers First”” before the turn of the year. We want to ensure that we extend best practice, which is limited to too few communities, across the country. I believe that ““Putting Passengers First”” offers the basis for moving forward towards patronage rises in not just one part of the country, but many other areas. I am proud to be a Labour Secretary of State for Transport who is putting better bus services at the heart of our transport policy. Improvements in concessionary travel specifically require a change in the law. We must ensure that they are implemented consistently, so that everyone understands how they work. We need to amend the Transport Act 2000 and the Greater London Authority Act 1999—