§ 64. Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenportasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the proposed reduction of £10,000,000 per annum in the expenditure on road maintenance, and as such reduction will substantially increase 182W road maintenance costs in order to overtake arrears, he will consider setting aside some part of the present proceeds of motor fuel taxation for road work when the present need for economy in capital expenditure no longer applies.
§ 70. Mr. Challenasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can provide figures indicating to what extent the annual revenue from the taxation of motor fuel and from road vehicle licence duties exceeds annual Government road expenditure; and whether he will now reconsider the whole basis of such taxation, with a view to ensuring a closer relationship between the revenue from these sources and such expenditure.
§ Sir S. CrippsThe reply to the first Question is. "No." The produce of particular taxes is not assigned to meet particular items of expenditure and there is no connection between the level of Government expenditure on road maintenance and the proceeds of motor fuel taxation. In reply to the second Question, the figures are as follow:
1947–48 (estimated) £000 Yield of hydro-carbon oil duties 62,000 Yield of motor vehicle duties 45,000 Provision for expenditure on roads, etc. (Civil Estimates, Class VI 14) 30,955