Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether applications for Grants for road improvements made last year by local authorities will be taken into considerations by the Road Board this year in cases where Grants have not been made, or if fresh application should be made by local authorities?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Masterman)The Road Board take into consideration all applications made to them, and any local authority may at any time repeat an application simply by reference to their previous application.
Mr. CATHCART WASONasked whether, in view of the fact that allocations of the Road Board grants have been distributed on a definite basis between England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, allocation on a similar basis will be made to the different counties?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe Road Board cannot pledge themselves to adopt any 791 definite basis of allocation. In dealing with the estimated amount available for distribution up to 31st March, 1912, whilst the aggregate amounts being granted in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, respectively, have been fixed in the ratio of the population, the grants to the various highway authorities, although relative population is one of the factors taken into consideration, are fixed after detailed consideration as far as practicable of requirements and burdens and all relevant circumstances affecting each area are dealt with.
Mr. CATHCART WASONasked whether the attention of the Road Board had been called to the increasing weight of motor vehicles; and if it will warn local authorities of the impossibility of providing roads sufficiently powerful to bear such traffic, especially where properly equipped railways are already provided?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe maximum weights of motor vehicles are fixed by regulations under the provisions of the Motor Car Acts of 1896 and 1903, and the attention of the Road Board has not been called to any recent alterations in the regulations authorising an increase in the maximum weights. There are no statistics available to show the number and actual weights of heavy motor cars in use. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.
Mr. CATHCART WASONasked whether, in view of the fact that there are no railways in Orkney and Shetland and consequently a greater necessity for improved roads, a fair share of Road Board grants will be made to the same counties, especially as they received nothing last year?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe Road Board will consider the requirements of Orkney and Shetland in fair relation to their relative urgency and importance in comparison with the requirements of other parts of the United Kingdom.
Mr. CATHCART WASONasked what money would be available for the counties of Orkney and Shetland, respectively, from the Road Improvement Fund if a grant were made in proportion to their population?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIf the money allocated to Scotland from the Road Improve- 792 ment Fund up to 31st March, 1912, had been divided solely on the basis of the population in each county then Orkney's proportion would have been £952, and Shetland's £1,026.