§ Major GLYNasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport how far the programme of the Roads Department of the Ministry of Transport has been satisfactorily accomplished; how much money, if any, remains under the control of the Road Board; and what was the total sum collected by motor licence duties in 1921?
§ Mr. NEALSo far as the current financial year is concerned, the provisional classification of roads in Great Britain has been completed, and grants amounting to between £7,500,000 and £8,000,000 have been indicated to highway authorities towards the approved cost of ordinary maintenance and improvement of Class I and Class II roads. The balance of the net revenue of the Road Fund for the calendar year 1921 has been fully allocated to works of new road construction, widenings, and other road and bridge improvements which are now proceeding. Estimates are being invited from highway authorities in respect of the expenditure on Class I and Class II roads during the coming financial year. Marked progress has been made with the execution of the arterial road programme, sanctioned by the Government as a means of absorbing unemployed labour.
The total gross collections for the Motor Tax account during the calendar year 1921 amounted to about £10,588,000. It is estimated that prior statutory charges, costs of collection, &c. (including certain exceptional charges which will not recur in future years), will reduce the revenue to a net sum of approximately £8,475,000.