asked the Minister of Transport what reply he has sent to the National League of the Blind in reply to its letter dated 5th May regarding concessionary fares for the blind, the disabled and retirement pensioners.

We have sent the hon. Member a copy of the reply.

But is the hon. Gentleman aware that as it has taken so long to get this reply I have seen the letter, and that it is based on a completely invalid argument? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that many of us do not accept the argument that this involves the principle of assisting people with concessions rather than with finance, which the Government propose doing, because this does not involve public funds in any way? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that my Bill would not even allow the rate fund to make a contribution to this, so it cannot be argued that it would affect assessments of general grant? How can the Government argue that this involves some kind of public expenditure?

If the hon. Gentleman has already had the reply, I am surprised that he did not withdraw the Question. However, the hon. Gentleman's view on this matter is clearly different from that of the Government. As has been explained on many occasions, we believe in paying people in cash and not in kind so that old-age pensioners have freedom to use the money in their own way. We realise that freedom is a quality to which hon. Gentlemen opposite pay very little attention.

Will my hon. Friend point out to retirement pensioners who may be stimulated by Socialist agitation to ask for concessionary fares that the National Federation of Old-Age Pensioners, in its magazine "Pensioners' Voice", has come out firmly against ad hoc concessions of this kind?

I think that that puts the matter in its proper perspective. Old-age pensioners would much prefer to have cash than to be paid in kind.

Is it not a fact that some local authorities give this concession, and some of them are not necessarily Labour-controlled? In other words, the Minister is saying that they are wrong in principle. Is he aware that the majority of old-age pensioners have to go to the National Assistance Board to have their incomes supplemented, and the Board would not pay concessionary fares?

Old-age pensioners are very much better off today than they were when the hon. Gentleman's party was in power.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.