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| Church's anger over school buses | Church's anger over school buses |
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| The Church in Wales claims faith school pupils are being "marginalised" by not being offered free transport on buses. | The Church in Wales claims faith school pupils are being "marginalised" by not being offered free transport on buses. |
| As AMs prepare to vote on new school bus measures, the church wants faith schools to have the same deal as their Welsh-medium counterparts. | As AMs prepare to vote on new school bus measures, the church wants faith schools to have the same deal as their Welsh-medium counterparts. |
| But Transport Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said that would mean faith schools' concessions would also have to be given to secular schools. | But Transport Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said that would mean faith schools' concessions would also have to be given to secular schools. |
| He said: "Nothing in this measure changes the current arrangement." | He said: "Nothing in this measure changes the current arrangement." |
| The assembly government has used its new law-making powers to draw up the Learner Travel Measure in response to calls for better school transport regulation following the death of 12-year-old Stuart Cunningham-Jones in a crash in the Vale of Glamorgan 2002. | The assembly government has used its new law-making powers to draw up the Learner Travel Measure in response to calls for better school transport regulation following the death of 12-year-old Stuart Cunningham-Jones in a crash in the Vale of Glamorgan 2002. |
| The measure aims to extend free transport to primary school children living two or more miles from a suitable school. At present the law covers pupils from the age of eight living three miles away. When the assembly is turning round and marginalising faith-based education in this way, I've seriously got to wonder if there is some discrimination emerging here Edwin Counsell, Church in Wales | The measure aims to extend free transport to primary school children living two or more miles from a suitable school. At present the law covers pupils from the age of eight living three miles away. When the assembly is turning round and marginalising faith-based education in this way, I've seriously got to wonder if there is some discrimination emerging here Edwin Counsell, Church in Wales |
| For secondary school pupils, the limit is to go up to three miles. | For secondary school pupils, the limit is to go up to three miles. |
| However, for Welsh-medium pupils, there is a clause that allows them to have free transport to their nearest available Welsh-medium school, even if another school is closer. | However, for Welsh-medium pupils, there is a clause that allows them to have free transport to their nearest available Welsh-medium school, even if another school is closer. |
| Religious leaders say the measure should also include faith schools. | Religious leaders say the measure should also include faith schools. |
| Edwin Counsell, director of education for the Church in Wales, told BBC Radio Wales the measure going before the Senedd on Tuesday was a wasted opportunity. | |
| He said: "We'd see faith-based schools, which make up 12% of the school places across Wales... in the same bracket as Welsh-medium schools. | He said: "We'd see faith-based schools, which make up 12% of the school places across Wales... in the same bracket as Welsh-medium schools. |
| "When the assembly is turning round and marginalising faith-based education in this way, I've seriously got to wonder if there is some discrimination emerging here." A safety campaign began after Stuart Cunningham-Jones died | "When the assembly is turning round and marginalising faith-based education in this way, I've seriously got to wonder if there is some discrimination emerging here." A safety campaign began after Stuart Cunningham-Jones died |
| Mr Jones, the Plaid Cymru leader who is also deputy first minister, said local authorities did had the choice to transport pupils to a faith school which was beyond a local school, if that was not a faith school. | Mr Jones, the Plaid Cymru leader who is also deputy first minister, said local authorities did had the choice to transport pupils to a faith school which was beyond a local school, if that was not a faith school. |
| He said: "There is no [assembly] government policy to promote access to faith schools because if I introduced a duty into this legislation that children could be transported to faith schools, I would have to have a similar duty to transport pupils to a secular school, if the school nearest to them was a faith school. | He said: "There is no [assembly] government policy to promote access to faith schools because if I introduced a duty into this legislation that children could be transported to faith schools, I would have to have a similar duty to transport pupils to a secular school, if the school nearest to them was a faith school. |
| "That would be extremely complicated and would be very burdensome on local authorities." | "That would be extremely complicated and would be very burdensome on local authorities." |
| 'Guidance' | 'Guidance' |
| Campaigners for more school bus safety say the Learner Travel Measure should ban double-decker buses as school transport, make seat belts compulsory and ensure there are no more than two pupils to a seat instead of three as there are now. | Campaigners for more school bus safety say the Learner Travel Measure should ban double-decker buses as school transport, make seat belts compulsory and ensure there are no more than two pupils to a seat instead of three as there are now. |
| But the assembly government has said that it does not have that power. | But the assembly government has said that it does not have that power. |
| However, Stuart Cunningham-Jones's father, David, urged the assembly government to introduce the rulings even if it they were later overturned by a court. | However, Stuart Cunningham-Jones's father, David, urged the assembly government to introduce the rulings even if it they were later overturned by a court. |
| He said: "We want to see a commitment to ensure that there is guidance given to local authorities to ensure that there is high standards of school transport. | He said: "We want to see a commitment to ensure that there is guidance given to local authorities to ensure that there is high standards of school transport. |
| "If we can persuade the National Assembly to put it in, it shows the intent. If someone else wants to take that away, then so be it." | "If we can persuade the National Assembly to put it in, it shows the intent. If someone else wants to take that away, then so be it." |