§ 50. Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEasked the Minister of Transport whether all authorities which are responsible for the upkeep of unclassified roads in country districts will receive help from the sum of £1,250,000, which is to be granted for the upkeep of these roads; and what conditions, if any, will have to be complied with before grants are made?
§ Colonel ASHLEYIt is the intention that all authorities administering areas essentially rural in character should be eligible for benefits under the allocation to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers. The conditions are set forth in Circular No. 234 (Roads), which has been issued to local authorities, and of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND - TROYTEHas the right hon. Gentleman considered doing away with the present conditions and giving a flat-rate for all the roads of this class, and will he urge the desirability of this upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer?
§ Colonel ASHLEYThat opens up a very big question, which I could not answer at the present moment.
An HON. MEMBERAre we to understand that out of the £3,000,000 extra to be expended on the roads this year the rural roads are getting only £1,250,000?
§ Colonel ASHLEYWhat the hon. Gentleman has to understand is that the rural roads of Great Britain are to get £500,000 more than the hon. Gentleman imagined a fortnight ago.
§ Brigadier-General CHARTERISCan the right hon. Gentleman say what the roads of Scotland are going to get?
§ Colonel ASHLEYScotland gets a very generous allocation of £100,000.