§ 36. Sir COOPER RAWSONasked the Minister of Transport whether any road works of local authorities have been assisted by grants from the national Exchequer or from the Road Fund since the date of the Ministry of Health's Circular 400, of 15th May, 1923, urging the use of home-produced material in any case where the local authority has purchased foreign roadstone in respect of the works; and, if so, whether he will give particulars?
§ Colonel ASHLEYAs my hon. and gallant Friend is aware, a condition is attached to every grant made on grounds of unemployment that all contracts for, or incidental to, the works are to be placed in this country, unless the express approval of the Department has been obtained to the contrary. I have no reason to doubt that this condition has been generally observed. In the case of other classes of road works, this condition is not imposed, although the use of British materials is urged. The detailed information desired by my hon. and gallant Friend is, therefore, not in my possession, and I should not be justified in troubling local authorities to supply the particulars, especially having regard to the fact that in the year 1925 the tonnage of imported foreign stone represented less than one-sixtieth part of the total consumption of roadstone in Great Britain.