Whether it will amend the rules governing the safer routes to school fund so that buses in normal service can be diverted from their route …

The Executive has provided financial support to local authorities to assist them to develop Safer Routes to School and Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets projects. Guidance on How to run Safer Routes to School was published by the Scottish Executive in December 1999. There are no plans to amend it.Local authorities receive funding from the Executive through the Rural Public Passenger Transport Grant to subsidise non-commercial rural public passenger transport services.Under section 51 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 education authorities have a duty to make such arrangements as they consider necessary for the provision of free transport or for the provision of other transport facilities for the conveyance of pupils between their homes and their designated schools.