§ Mr. Tom McMillanasked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total of ex gratia payments made under the Highways Act 1959 in each year since the Act came into force.
§ Mr. William RodgersThe total number and amount ofex gratia payments are noted each year in the Appropriation Accounts. The last published accounts are those for 1974–75 (HC 78—Page 111. Notes to the Roads, &c., England Vote, 143W Class VI Vote 1). The figures from 1960–61 are as follows:—
Number of payments Total amount £ 1960–61 … … 6 738 1961–62 … … 12 2, 778 1962–63 … … 9 7,387 1963–64 … … 8 35,103 1964–65 … … 4 14,763 1965–66 … … 17 11,743 1966–67 … … 17 3,982 1967–68 … … 17 19,161 1968–69 … … 17 1,720 1969–70 … … 31 52,076 1970–71 … … 7 4,734 1971–72 … … 18 20,143 1972–73 … … 22 7,604 1973–74 … … 29 6,564 1974–75 … … 43 77,794 1975–76 … … 34 9,090 Up to 1964–65, the figures are for England and Wales; thereafter they are for England only.
In addition, the following special ex gratia payments were made:
W. & C. French Construction Ltd:
1974–75 £4,981,000 1975–76 £4,519,000 To offset losses incurred by contractors due to unforeseeable rises in world oil prices:
44 contracts (1974–75) £2,824,980 45 contracts (1975–76) £2,377,068