§ MR. LEAKE (Lancashire, S.E. Radcliffe)asked the President of the Local 1732 Government Board, Whether it is the fact, that under Clause 15, Section 2, of the Local Government Bill, a County District retaining under its own care the maintenance and repair of main roads within the district will only be entitled to receive from the County Council one-half the cost of such maintenance and repair under "The Highways and Locomotive Act, 1878," and will lose the present grant in aid from the Exchequer; and, whether, inasmuch as such an enactment will tend to throw the maintenance and repair of main roads entirely on County Councils, and discourage that local, and in great part voluntary, superintendence which is so essential to efficient work and economical expenditure, he will so amend Clause 15, that a County District wishing to retain the charge of its own main roads shall not be in a worse financial position than are the present Local Authorities in similar circumstances?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. RITCHIE) (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)As I stated on Tuesday last, in reply to a Question of the hon. Member for the Leigh Division of Lancashire (Mr. Caleb Wright), the contribution of the County Council in the case referred to will be based not on one-half of the expenditure in respect of the maintenance of the roads prior to the passing of the Bill, but on the total expenditure on account of the maintenance of the roads. This contribution will be in lieu of any grant which may have previously been received.