§ 71. Mr. EDEasked the Minister of Transport whether any consideration is given to the comparative wealth or poverty of a local authority in making 1386 grants towards schemes for road construction, road improvement, and river crossing, and, if so, will he state the weighting or other method employed in modifying the standard grant?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAYes, Sir. For the purposes of improvements to trunk roads or of the provision of dual carriageways and cycle tracks, counties are divided into three groups, according to their percentages of weighted to actual population and those with the higher percentages are eligible for grants at higher rates. "Weighted population" is arrived at in accordance with the formula laid down in the Local Government Acts, 1929. The rates of grant vary from 75 to 85 per cent. for trunk roads and from 60 to 75 per cent. for special features.
§ Mr. EDEWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the same process applies to county boroughs, as he only mentioned counties in his answer; and does it apply to river crossings as he did not mention them?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAIt applies anywhere where there is a trunk road or where the special features are undertaken.