29.This section enables England and Wales to recognise each other’s passes and those of Scotland and Northern Ireland. This power is likely to be used at such a time as all parties have agreed the practical issues surrounding mutual recognition of passes across the United Kingdom, including funding. The section allows the Secretary of State and the Welsh Ministers flexibility in deciding which categories of concessionaire will receive which kinds of concession in England and Wales respectively, which may be useful in view of the differences between the national schemes.
30.The Welsh Ministers’ power to provide for recognition of English, Scottish and Northern Irish passes includes, under subsection (5), power to provide for bus operators to be reimbursed for journeys by holders of non-Welsh permits which begin within Welsh travel concession authority areas. This would be necessary when, for example, holders of English permits were making use of them to travel within Wales. There is also provision at subsection (4) to deal with the geographical overlap of schemes on introduction of any reciprocal arrangements. This is to avoid problems of double reimbursement.