75. Mr. FRED HALLasked the amount of revenue contributed by London in the shape of petrol tax in 1912; and how much of the funds accumulated by the Road Board from this tax has been spent in London up to the present time?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI fear that no information is available as to the proportion of the receipts from the Petrol Tax contributed by London. The Grants actually 2080 made to the Metropolitan boroughs up to the 31st December, 1912, amounted to £3,734, of which £3,634 has been paid. On the 5th December last the Board intimated by circular letter to all the highway authorities in the Metroplitan Police district that they were prepared to consider applications for advances towards works of road improvement, and that the Board were prepared to treat £250,000 as the aggregate amount available at the present time for advances to highway authorities within that area.
Mr. FRED HALLMay I ask whether the imposition of this tax is not partly the cause of the taxi strike, and would the right hon. Gentleman consider the question of abolishing it and raising the same amount—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must give notice of that question.