5In section 55 (provision of transport and other facilities)—
(a)for subsection (1) there is substituted—
“(1)A local education authority shall make such arrangements for the provision of transport and otherwise as they consider necessary or as the Secretary of State may direct for the purpose of facilitating the attendance of persons receiving education—
(a)at schools,
(b)at any institution maintained or assisted by them which provides higher education or further education (or both),
(c)at any institution within the further education sector, or
(d)at any institution outside the further education sector and higher education sector, where a further education funding council has secured provision for those persons at the institution under section 4(3) or (5) of the [1992 c. 00.] Further and Higher Education Act 1992;
and any transport provided in pursuance of such arrangements shall be provided free of charge.”
(b)in subsection (2) for “pupil in attendance” there is substituted “person receiving education”,
(c)in subsection (3) for “pupil”, in each place, there is substituted “person”,
(d)for subsection (4) there is substituted—
“(4)Arrangements made by a local education authority under subsection (1) above shall make provision—
(a)for pupils at grant-maintained schools which is no less favourable than the provision made in pursuance of the arrangements for pupils at schools maintained by a local education authority,
(b)for persons receiving full-time education at any institution within the further education sector which is no less favourable than the provision made in pursuance of the arrangements for pupils of the same age at schools maintained by a local education authority, and
(c)for persons receiving full-time education at institutions mentioned in subsection (1)(d) above which is no less favourable than the provision made in pursuance of the arrangements—
(i)for persons of the same age with learning difficulties (within the meaning of section 41(9) of this Act) at schools maintained by a local education authority, or
(ii)where there are no such arrangements, for such persons for whom the authority secures the provision of education at any other institution.”, and
(e)after subsection (4) there is added—
“(5)Regulations under section 8(5) of the [1980 c. 20.] Education Act 1980 may require publication, within the meaning of that section, by every local education authority of such information as may be required by the regulations with respect to the authority’s policy and arrangements for provision under this section for persons attending institutions mentioned in subsection (1)(c) or (d) above who are over compulsory school age and who have not attained the age of nineteen years.”