Sir, I am very pleased that the Conservative county cabinet has decided not to follow the recommendation of the Conservative-dominated scrutiny committee about ending concessionary schools transport to faith schools. I had argued that it was grossly unfair to treat students at faith schools differently from students going to other non-catchment schools. I am delighted that they listened to me and the comments made in the consultation, and that concessionary transport will continue.

The whole issue of charging to transport to schools is full of unfairness. For instance, why should a family in a rural area have to pay transport costs for their young person to attend a sixth form college when people living close to a school or college have no such costs?

This is, as I have said on many occasions, a tax on learning, and in particular in rural areas.

In a rural county like Oxfordshire, more Government funding is needed for school transport if we are to treat all students in an equitable way.

David Turner, Liberal Democrat shadow cabinet member (Schools Improvement)