HC Deb 15 April 1935 vol 300 c1631

There is, therefore, no need, for the purposes of the Road Fund, of this £4,470,000, but, on the other hand, it has occurred to me that there is a very pressing need for it elsewhere, as an addition to my modest surplus to be used for the relief of taxation. Accordingly, I have informed my hon. Friend the Minister of Transport that I propose to transfer it to the Exchequer. I should say that my hon. Friend has expressed some reluctance to assume even temporarily the role of the dying Sir Philip Sidney, but I have endeavoured to console him with the assurance that if, in fact, during the course of the next year or so, more money should be required for roads than the Road Fund can supply, he will, in my opinion, be entitled to ask for consideration. The result of that transaction is to raise the figure for Miscellaneous Revenue to £25,970,000. Perhaps it will be useful to return to that prospective surplus and see how it has been getting on while I have been talking. When it was last seen, it stood at £5,610,000, and it has now been fortified by the addition of £145,000 for Minor Items, £800,000 for the yield on the Heavy Oil Duty and the £4,470,000 for the increase of Miscellaneous Revenue. I now find myself in possession of a sum available for distribution of £11,025,000.