To ask the Minister for Infrastructure, in relation to her Department’s forthcoming scheme for coach operators, whether she will consider profit and loss calculations on both an accruals and a cashflow basis when deciding whether or not to make a payment.

My Department’s first and forthcoming scheme for bus and coach operators, are operated on an accruals basis when assessing the evidence to support the decision whether or not to make a payment. It is not possible to consider profit and loss calculations on both an accruals and a cash flow basis at the same time. Accruals accounting was the basis selected to permit operators to accurately detail their position related to the period in question and is a commonly understood and well used accountancy approach.