§ 30. Mr. Montgomeryasked the Minister of Transport what plans she has for increasing the amount of money allocated to Staffordshire County Council for minor road improvements.
§ Mr. SwinglerThe allocation of money for future years to Staffordshire County Council for improvements costing less than £250,000 to trunk and principal roads has not yet been finalised. It will be determined on the basis of the relative priority of schemes throughout the West Midland area.
§ Mr. MontgomeryBut is the Minister aware that the Government are not allowing sufficient money to county councils to do essential road works and that there are many schemes in Staffordshire crying out to be done and held back because of lack of money?
§ Mr. SwinglerI am not sure what the hon. Gentleman is talking about. Improvements to county roads are now the responsibility of the county itself under the new scheme. If he is talking about trunk and principal road schemes, I should very much like to have the evidence that he wishes to present. However, I assure him that more schemes will be programmed in Staffordshire, and that the position with regard to minor improvements to trunk and principal roads in Staffordshire has not been finalised.