§ 40. Viscount SANDONasked the Minister of Transport what foreign stone is being used for roads; how much, and for what reason, in the United Kingdom and in Shropshire, respectively; how much of it on road work being undertaken by the Ministry; and whether any official expert opinion has been given unfavourable to Shropshire quarries for this purpose?
§ The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Colonel Ashley)The total quantity of broken roadstone imported into the United Kingdom during the year 1925 is approximately estimated at 200,000 tons, but 1 have no means of ascertaining what proportion of this was used in Shropshire, nor am I aware of the grounds on which various highway authorities have purchased foreign stone. I may point out that the tonnage of imported foreign stone represents less than one-sixtieth part of the total consumption of roadstone in Great Britain. On all road works undertaken by my Department, British materials are specified, and it is only when suitable supplies at a reasonable price are not avail- 1022 able that recourse is reluctantly had to foreign materials. I am not aware of any adverse report upon Shropshire quarries.