§ 54. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Minister of Transport whether he has received a resolution, unanimously passed at a recent meeting by the county council of the West Riding of Yorkshire, protesting against any further inroads by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Road Fund and stating that the remaining funds are already insufficient to meet the reasonable requirements of the highway authorities; and whether he is communicating with the county council on the subject?
§ Colonel ASHLEYThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The resolution and the points raised in the covering letter shall have my careful consideration.
§ Lieut-Commander KENW0RTHYIs the right hon. Gentleman replying to the county council, as I ask in the last part of the question?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI will inquire whether we are sending anything more than a formal acknowledgment.
§ 56. Mr. LUNNasked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the liabilities of the Road Fund exceeded the balance by £10,700,000 on 31st March, 1926, and that the outstanding liabilities of the Unemployment Grants Committee will involve a further charge on the fund of £800,000 per annum for the next few years; and whether or not he has any proposal to make to enable road authorities to maintain and improve the roads in order to cope with the growth of heavy motor traffic other than by additional burdens on local rates?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI am aware of the position of the Road Fund, but the very substantial assistance given to the local authorities from that Fund has not been diminished and continues to be 1043 accorded on a scale which, I hope, will be found to meet the needs of the situation.