CONFEDERATION OF PASSENGER TRANSPORT

That this House notes with concern the comments made in Coach and Bus Week in May 2006 by outgoing Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) lobbyist and former Department for Transport (DfT) secondee Stephen Heard that `the bus industry is under a Labour Government that is giving it as much freedom as under Tory Transport Minister, Nick Ridley'; further notes his comments that the CPT can take credit for this and his view that `Early Day Motions through backbenchers are wasted effort'; and in the light of these comments calls on the DfT to cease its practice of seconding staff to assist the CPT in its aim of preventing the regulation of bus service levels, quality, fares and networks.