§ 92. Sir W. Wakefieldasked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to recent legislation passed by the French Government authorising special capital expenditure for road development and providing for the establishment of a special highway fund for this purpose to be financed partly from a budgetary allowance and partly by 20 per cent. of the revenue from motor-fuel taxes, of which particulars have been supplied to him; and whether he will arrange for an expert study of this proposal, having regard to the delays and difficulties in carrying out the 10-year capital road programme in Great Britain.
§ Mr. MaclayI am obliged to my hon. Friend for calling my attention to this legislation, but he will remember the provisions of the 1936 Finance Act under82W which the Road Fund ceased to be financed from the proceeds of motor taxation. I would remind my hon. Friend that restriction of capital investment due to present inadequacy of national resources affects all such investment however financed.