§ 32. Mr. Russellasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the total commitments to date under the new roads programme; and the present rate of expenditure.
§ Mr. WatkinsonWorks of major improvement on trunk and classified roads which will cost the Exchequer just over £47 million have been authorised in the two years 1954–55 and 1955–56. By the end of 1956–57, I expect authorisations to reach a total of about £81½ million including works in Scotland.
As my hon. Friend will appreciate, Exchequer payments on such works rise much more slowly, the actual expenditure on most schemes being spread over a number of years. In 1954–55 some £5 million from the Exchequer was spent; in 1955–56 some £8 million; and the provision for the coming year is £14½ million
All these figures exclude the cost of land acquisition and other preliminary expenses of trunk road schemes.
§ Mr. RussellMay I ask my right hon. Friend whether, as the speeding up of this programme will result in a great saving in the costs of industry, he will give an assurance that everything possible will be done to speed up the rate of progress and to press on with the improvements?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI certainly will, taking into account the general economic policy of the Government. My hon. Friend might like to know that this year we shall spend £90 million in total on roads.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussWill the Minister bear in mind, when considering all these matters, that while the need for road improvement in this country is probably greater than in any other country, our programme is much below that of other countries less industrialised than our own?
§ Mr. WatkinsonThere are all sorts of views about the road programme, but at the moment it is going to schedule and according to the plans which have been announced.