56. Lieut.-Colonel Sir G. DALRYMPLEWHITEasked the Minister of Transport the comparative figures of the Petrol Duty and the Motor Vehicle Duty, on the one hand, and the cost to the Government and to local authorities of road construction and maintenance and the cost of the police controlling the traffic, on the other hand, during the current financial year?
§ The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Colonel Ashley)It is not possible to make the comparison which my hon. and gallant Friend desires. The receipts from Motor Vehicle Licence Duties and from the Petrol Duty for the current financial year cannot yet be stated, and it will be some time before the expenditure of highway authorities during the year on the construction and maintenance of roads can be given. The figures of expenditure by highway authorities up to and including the year 1925–26 will however, be found in Appendix 13 of the Annual Report on the Administration of the Road Fund for the year 1927–28. Figures for the cost of the police controlling traffic are not available.
§ Sir G. DALRYMPLE-WHITEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the periodical known as the "Motor" in January stated that motor vehicle owners were taxed £8,000,000 more than they had received for services rendered to the road, and will he not get out figures to show whether or not that statement is correct?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI cannot be held responsible for what a journal may say.