Roads (Hansard, 23 January 1975)

§ Mr. Reid
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total planned expenditure on Scottish trunk roads over 1975–76; and what sum will be spent in the Central Scotland Region.

§ Mr. William Ross
Current proposals for 1975–76 provide for expenditure on trunk roads of £45–£50 million, of which about £1 million will be spent in the new local government Central Region.

§ Mr. Reid
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the compound increase in vehicles using Scottish trunk roads over the past five years.

§ Mr. William Ross
Information is not available for all Scottish trunk roads. In Central Scotland annual increases of between 2 per cent. and 7 per cent. were recorded in the four years up to 1973, but since then traffic generally has decreased up to 10 per cent.

Authority Average Standard Rent per annum at 7th March 1974 Estimated Average Standard Rent per annum at 7th March 1974 assuming implementation of Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 from 1st October 1972 Difference between column 2 and column 3

(1) (2) (3) (4)

£ £ £

Glasgow … 171.48 157.46 14.02

Paisley … 131.08 146.11 -15.03

Clydebank … 136.37 118.81 17.56

Renfrew Burgh … 131.62 133.32 -1.70

Rutherglen … 127.00 131.06 -4.06

Denny and Dunipace … 154.71 150.03 4.68

Cowdenbeath … 152.50 137.61 14.89

Notes:

(A) The figures in column (2) are as supplied by the authorities concerned.

(B) The estimated figures in column (3) are the average standard rents at November 1972 as shown in Cmnd. 5260 (Rents of Houses owned by Public Authorities in Scotland, 1972) increased by £65 to take account of the two rent increases required by the 1972 Act in the period to 7th March 1974—one at £39 per annum from 1st October 1972 and one of £26 per annum from 1st October 1973.

(C) The figures in column (3) make no allowance for the increase in the numbers of houses owned by the seven authorities between November 1972 and March 1974 and are consequently marginally underestimated.

(D) The figures indicate that the effect in Glasgow, Clydebank and Cowdenbeath of the default orders by the then Secretary of State was to raise rents to higher annual levels by March 1974 than they would have reached had the authorities concerned implemented the 1972 Act from 1st October 1972. In each case however the tenants of these authorities had in fact paid less additional rent in total in the period to 7th March 1974.

(E) In the case of the remaining authorities (apart from Denny) where default orders were not made the rents at 7th March 1974 were still lower at 7th March 1974 than they would have been if the Act had been implemented.

Authority	Average Standard Rent per annum at 7th March 1974	Estimated Average Standard Rent per annum at 7th March 1974 assuming implementation of Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1972 from 1st October 1972	Difference between column 2 and column 3
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
		£	£	£
Glasgow	…	171.48	157.46	14.02
Paisley	…	131.08	146.11	-15.03
Clydebank	…	136.37	118.81	17.56
Renfrew Burgh	…	131.62	133.32	-1.70
Rutherglen	…	127.00	131.06	-4.06
Denny and Dunipace	…	154.71	150.03	4.68
Cowdenbeath	…	152.50	137.61	14.89
Notes:
(A) The figures in column (2) are as supplied by the authorities concerned.
(B) The estimated figures in column (3) are the average standard rents at November 1972 as shown in Cmnd. 5260 (Rents of Houses owned by Public Authorities in Scotland, 1972) increased by £65 to take account of the two rent increases required by the 1972 Act in the period to 7th March 1974—one at £39 per annum from 1st October 1972 and one of £26 per annum from 1st October 1973.
(C) The figures in column (3) make no allowance for the increase in the numbers of houses owned by the seven authorities between November 1972 and March 1974 and are consequently marginally underestimated.
(D) The figures indicate that the effect in Glasgow, Clydebank and Cowdenbeath of the default orders by the then Secretary of State was to raise rents to higher annual levels by March 1974 than they would have reached had the authorities concerned implemented the 1972 Act from 1st October 1972. In each case however the tenants of these authorities had in fact paid less additional rent in total in the period to 7th March 1974.
(E) In the case of the remaining authorities (apart from Denny) where default orders were not made the rents at 7th March 1974 were still lower at 7th March 1974 than they would have been if the Act had been implemented.