§ 50. Sir F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the most recent projected completion dates for the various sectors of the M5 between Bristol and Exeter.
§ Mr. PeytonSubject where applicable to statutory and other procedures the expected or actual completion dates of the M5 Motorway—Bristol-Exeter section—are as follows:
§ Mr. RipponI will certainly look into into this. I should, however, indicate that the evidence available to my Department suggests that the costs intended to be covered by the scale of statutory deductions have not risen nearly as much as gross values since the scale laid down in 1925 was amended in 1962. On this basis the existing scale provides for greater deductions in respect of properties with low gross values than a new scale which took account of this evidence would give. To achieve equity between properties assessed first to gross value and those assessed direct to net annual value, 251W the statutory deductions ought to reflect fairly the relevant maintenance costs. In the light of the evidence available, I consider that the present scale will broadly achieve this objective for the 1973 revaluation.