Part III Bus and Ferry Services
Assistance for bus and ferry services
32 New bus grants.
1
Subject to the provisions of this section, the Minister may, with the approval of the Treasury, make in such cases as he thinks fit a grant to any person operating public service vehicles in Great Britain towards approved capital expenditure incurred by that person in providing a new vehicle of a type approved for the purposes of this section by the Minister, being a vehicle which is provided for use by that person F1wholly or mainly in the operation of bus services in Great Britain and which first becomes available to that person for such use on or after such date, not being earlier than 1st September 1968, as the Minister may by order specify.
2
In the foregoing subsection—
a
the expression “approved capital expenditure” means expenditure appearing to the Minister to be of a capital nature and approved by him for the purposes of grant under this section;
b
the expression “expenditure” in relation to the provision by a person of a vehicle includes—
i
expenditure consisting of instalments under a hire-purchase agreement within the meaning of the M1Hire-Purchase Act 1965 or, as the case may be, the M2Hire-Purchase (Scotland) Act 1965, or otherwise consisting of instalments of or payments towards the purchase price of, or cost of providing, the vehicle; and
ii
where the vehicle is provided by being manufactured or wholly or partly constructed by that person, such sum as appears to the Minister to be properly attributable to its provision by him in that manner;
c
the expression “new” means unused and not second-hand.
3
In making any grant under this section in respect of any vehicle the Minister shall impose such conditions for securing that the vehicle will be used as mentioned in subsection (1) of this section, and may impose such other conditions, as he thinks fit; and those conditions may include conditions for repayment in specified circumstances.
4
Subject to subsection (5) of this section, the amount of any grant under this section shall be twenty-five per cent. of the approved capital expenditure in respect of which it is granted, and no amount by way of such a grant shall be paid in respect of a vehicle which first becomes available for such use as is mentioned in subsection (1) of this section after the date of the expiration of the period of seven years beginning with the date specified under the said subsection (1).
5
The Minister may by order made with the consent of the Treasury—
a
vary, as respects any vehicle first becoming available for such use as is mentioned in subsection (1) of this section on or after such date as may be specified in the order, the percentage specified in subsection (4) of this section; or
b
amend the said subsection (4) by substituting for the date of the expiration of the period there mentioned such later date as may be specified in the order;
but no order shall be made under this subsection unless a draft thereof has been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.
6
The provisions of Schedule 8 to this Act shall have effect for the purpose of avoiding fraudulent applications for grant under this section and of securing the observance of any conditions attached to any such grant.