§ Mr. FFRENCHasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a main road in Ireland differs from a main road in England, in so far as half its cost is paid by the district and half by the county; whether the Irish main roads come under Clause 17 (3) of the Development and Road Improvement Act of 1909; and, if not, will he introduce an amending Bill which will bring Ireland within the scope of the Act?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As it is the county council who contract and pay for the maintenance of a high road, I think that the words in Section 17 (3) of the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909, cover a main road; but I may also point out that in any case the Sub-section does not restrict the class of road in respect of which giants, etc., may be made under the Act. The Road Board have power to make giants or loans in respect of the construction of a new road or the improvement of an existing road in Ireland, irrespective of1074W the circumstance that expenses of maintaining the road are provided partly by a district and partly by a county. The Subsection relates only to the interpretation to be placed in Ireland on the term "a road vested in the highway authority" in Section 9 (1) (b) of the Act, which is used only in connection with the powers of a highway authority with respect to the repair of roads constructed by the Road Board.