§ 43. Mr. VAUGHANasked the Minister of Transport whether he can trace any marked acceleration in road work in response to his appeal to county councils on 26th March, 1930, to put agreed road schemes into operation with the greatest practicable speed and to press forward negotiations on outstanding schemes?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONI am glad to say that many county councils have responded actively to the appeal mentioned by my hon. Friend.
§ 57. Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEasked the Minister of Transport whether there are any statistics available to show the amount of money which could be spent 2146 during each of the next five years upon roads to the economic advantage of the country as opposed to roads for luxury purposes?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONI regret that it is not possible for me to give the hon. Member statistics of this kind.
§ 64. Sir HERBERT SAMUELasked the Lord Privy Seal whether any estimate which he has received from Sir Henry Maybury as to expenditure, additional to present programmes, which might usefully be made upon roads had relation to all roads the construction or improvement of which is desirable in the national interest, or to those roads which the local authorities would be likely to propose; and whether any such estimates included bridges?
§ 66. Mr. VAUGHANasked the Lord Privy Seal whether the £20,000,000 estimated by Sir Henry Maybury as the sum which can be usefully spent in the next five years over and above the programme of road works already sanctioned includes the £9,000,000 set aside for the Charing Cross Bridge and other works of urban improvement; and, if not, to what class of works the £20,000,000 specifically relates?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONI have been asked to reply. The estimate of £20,000,000 received from Sir Henry May-bury covers the cost of schemes of road construction and improvement, additional to present programmes, which might in his opinion usefully be carried out, including schemes which the local authorities themselves would not be likely to propose. The estimate allows for any necessary construction or reconstruction of bridges on the roads. I may add that Sir Henry has advised that he does not think that more than the amount he has suggested could usefully and economically be expended upon the highways of the country in addition to the programmes already sanctioned. The estimate does not include any expenditure on the Charing Cross Bridge scheme.