§ Sir W. Wakefieldasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the official announcement on 9th March, 1955, that some £12½ million was likely to be spent on road improvement schemes on trunk and classified roads in the financial year ended March, 1955, and that only £6,992,000 is reported as having been so spent in the Road Fund Report for 1954–55, how the difference is accounted for.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe figures quoted are not comparable. The figure of £12½ million given in reply to a Question on 9th March, 1955, was an estimate of the expenditure to be incurred during 1954–55 on improvements where work was expected to start during that year. It covered, in addition to major improvements and new construction, the anticipated expenditure on minor improvements which in the Report (following the subheads in the Estimates) are included under20W the heading of maintenance and minor improvement. The figure of £6,992,000 which my hon. Friend has derived from the Report excludes expenditure on minor improvements but, on the other hand, it includes expenditure incurred during 1954–55 on major improvements and new construction started before as well as in that year.