§ Mr. HICKS BEACHasked whether it is the invariable rule of the Road Board only to allot grants to local highway authorities on condition that the local authority expends an additional sum beyond its ordinary annual expenditure in highway improvements, or whether a grant has been promised to any local highway authority without such condition being imposed?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEGrants made by the Road Board to Highway Authorities are as a rule limited to sums not exceeding 75 per cent. of the cost of the improvements towards which the contributions are made, and the Board endeavour to satisfy themselves that the grants will not be used for the purpose of indirectly reducing the expenditure on renewals properly chargeable to maintenance account.
§ Mr. HICKS BEACHAre any grants being made out of the Exchequer without any contributions being made by the local authorities?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI would point out to the hon. Member for Shropshire that questions on this subject had better be addressed to my hon. Friend the Member for Newmarket (Sir C. D. Rose).
§ Mr. SPEAKERI cannot allow questions to be put to the hon. Member for Newmarket, who is not a Minister or responsible to the House. I cannot allow questions to be put to him simply because he is a member of the Road Board. He might or might not be a Member of this House.
§ Mr. HICKS BEACHCan I get an explanation of this point?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe hon. Member had better put a question down on the Paper.
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANHas the Road Board any authority to impose additional rates?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIf the hon. Member will put a question on the Paper I will endeavour to answer it.
§ Mr. HUGH LAWasked whether the only assistance proposed to be given this year by the Road Board in county Donegal is in respect of a road passing through the richest district in that county, and that no provision whatever is being made for the improvement of any roads in the Poor Law unions of Glenties or Dunfanaghy, which have an exceptionally large road mileage and population, and are among the poorest unions in the congested districts having valuations of £20,000 and £11,000 respectively; and whether, in view of the dissatisfaction which exists in county Donegal with the Road Board's present proposals, the Board are prepared to modify them so as to extend some assistance to the local authorities in respect of roads in the more necessitous portions of the county?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe Road Board have circulated a map of the Irish roads towards the improvement of which they are at the present time prepared to contribute, and this map has been approved by the Executive Committee of the Irish County Councils General Council, subject to certain additions which the Road Board are willing to adopt. If the proposed scheme is adopted the county of Donegal will receive a grant towards the cost of works which the county may be prepared to carry out and maintain, the details of which will be settled with the county authorities.
§ Mr. HUGH LAWWill the work to be carried out have to be such as the County council approve, and if they indicate a preference for certain roads will the Road Board be willing to contribute?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEAs I have already said the scheme will be adopted subject to certain conditions which the Road Board are willing to adopt. It must be a matter for conference between the various parties.