§ 21. Mr. HALL-CAINEasked the Minister of Transport whether he will ascertain from the Middlesex County Council what approximate proportion of the grants made by his Department in respect of the maintenance of the Great West Road has been spent in rendering the grass margins thereto ornamental and therefore unavailable for pedestrians and riders; and whether in future he will not allow Road Fund grants to be used for such purposes without his specific approval in each case?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe Middlesex County Council, who are the responsible highway authority, estimate that during the current financial year they will spend on the maintenance of the Great West Road approximately £15,400 including £2,100 in respect of the grass margin. The rate of Road Fund grant applicable to the approved expenditure is 60 per cent. The Roads Improvement Act, 1925, empowers a highway authority to provide, maintain and protect trees, shrubs and grass margins, so long as they do not thereby hinder the reasonable use of the highway by any person entitled to its use. The same Act enables me to make grants out of the Road Fund towards expenditure on such purposes.