HC Deb 16 November 1977 vol 939 cc554-5
7. Mr. Newton

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with the working of the transport supplementary grant formula as it has affected Essex.

Mr. Horam

The formula treats all counties in the same way, including Essex. But my right hon. Friend is now considering whether any changes are needed for the 1978–79 grant settlement.

Mr. Newton

Is the Minister aware that my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. St. John-Stevas) and I were grateful for his helpful attitude on a specific problem recently but that this is no substitute for avoiding a situation in which the county of Essex got virtually no TSG this year? May we be assured that this will not be allowed to happen again?

Mr. Horam

I cannot give specific assurances about the level of TSG. Obviously it will vary considerably according to the spending of the local authority and the money available from central Government. I recognise that Essex was hard done by in the last round, and we hope to avoid that situation again.

Mr. Ronald Atkins

Is my hon. Friend satisfied with the way that the shire counties are taking up the transport grant and that they are keen on maintaining public transport in rural areas? Would not it be dangerous to hand over to them the control of railway branch lines?

Mr. Horam

No. I am not satisfied with the way in which many shire counties, particularly Conservative-controlled ones, are feeding funds into the support of bus services. Rail services are an entirely different matter and it is not appropriate to comment on them on this Question.

Mr. Moate

Is it not wrong for the Government on the one hand to proclaim a belief in local decision-making on transport matters, yet on the other hand to threaten shire counties with economic blackmail if they cut public expenditure in an endeavour to modernise local bus services in an efficient manner?

Mr. Horam

Nobody is threatening shire counties. All we want is a responsible attitude towards the provision of public transport, and we have taken measures to ensure that.