HL Deb 27 May 2004 vol 661 cc165-6WA
Lord Berkeley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the annual budget of the road freight modernisation fund; and how much was spent in each year of its existence. [HL2918]

Lord Davies of Oldham

The Road Haulage Modernisation Fund (RHMF) was announced in the 2000 Pre-Budget Report as a three year, £100 million UK-wide, ring-fenced fund. No annual budget was set at the time.

The Department for Transport has spent the following on the RHMF in England:

2001–02 £6.07 million
2002–03 £8.61 million
2003–04 £14.57 million

Schemes under the fund for England were worked up with the industry through the Road Haulage Forum. Spend was dependent on industry demand for fund schemes.

The Road Haulage Modernisation Fund ended in March this year for England. But a new £3 million package was announced in this year's budget to allow successful projects under the fund to continue in 2004–05.