HC Deb 14 November 1983 vol 48 cc591-2
2. Mr. Fisher

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will increase Government funding of road maintenance.

The Minister of State, Department of Transport (Mrs. Lynda Chalker)

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will shortly announce the provision for expenditure on motorways and trunk roads in 1984–85. We shall continue to give priority to the motorway repair programme as explained in "Policy for Roads in England 1983", Cmnd. 9059.

Mr. Fisher

Does the Minister agree that expenditure on road maintenance, which has been declining in real terms over the past two years, is a disgrace to the Government? Will the Minister give particular attention to counties such as Staffordshire, which are at the bottom of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy statistics on roads expenditure, and give them something in any allocation of funds? In her White Paper the Minister has no new major road schemes in Staffordshire up to 1987. She cannot be proud of that.

Mrs. Chalker

Over the past two years the total cash amount accepted for transport supplementary grant for maintenance has increased by over 22 per cent. We have been seeking to divert the money to this aspect wherever possible. The planned expenditure on the maintenance of trunk roads and motorways has more than doubled over the past four years. The cash outturn in 1978–79 was £89 million, but the provision for the current year is £200 million. With regard to new roads, the Department is busily engaged on a number of schemes in Staffordshire.

Mr. Golding

What new proposals are there for Staffordshire? How many construction workers are unemployed? Their unemployment goes side by side with the failure to repair roads adequately.

Mrs. Chalker

The Government have made up for the backlog of motorway repairs that was allowed to build up under the Labour Government. Last year we repaired the equivalent of 80 miles of motorway for just over £80 million compared with 40 miles of motorway in 1980–81 at just under £40 million. The repairs done have more than doubled. There is a high level of road maintenance, which we intend should continue. With regard to new schemes for the hon. Gentleman's area, his county surveyor and councillors were talking to me only last week in a friendly way and not in the way that he seeks to represent.