Lib Dems Challenge Labour's Education Stealth Tax - Parmjit Singh Gill
December 22, 2004 12:00 AM
Following Thursday's debate on the School Transport Bill, which will introduce a stealth tax on working families with school age children, Parmjit Singh Gill can reveal the massive costs faced by parents in the East Midlands.
The Bill will, for the first time, introduce measures to charge children for using school buses on trips over 3 miles. This will apply to all children currently not eligible for free school meals and could cost parents over £212 million nationally.
Labour's plans will encourage private car use during the already congested school run. Regionally the potential bill faced by hard working families is:
£20.3m in the East Midlands
Parmjit Singh Gill voted for the Liberal Democrat amendment which proposed to prohibit the removal of any current entitlements to free transport for children living more than three miles from school. This amendment was defeated by 233 votes to 147 following strong opposition from Labour.
Commenting Parmjit Singh Gill MP, said:
"The Government continues to undermine the principle of free local education. Due to insufficient places being made available at local schools, parents will now be further punished.
"This Bill makes access to good schools a lottery based on the size of parents' purses rather than the child's educational needs.
"The Liberal Democrats will continue to campaign to scrap these charges and keep school transport free"
ENDS
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