§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Minister of Transport what was the planned expenditure level for English motorway and trunk road construction implicit in Cmnd. 7049 in (a) 1978 survey prices and (b) 1979 survey prices; what is now the expected outturn at 1979 survey prices; what factors, additional to the £10 million reduction announced in the June Budget, have led to the expected outturn being lower than the planned outturn; what percentage shortfall this represents; and what action is being taken to avoid a continuation of shortfall in future years.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI assume the hon. Member is referring to expenditure in 1979–80. The planned expenditure for that year shown in Cmnd. 7049 (at 1977 survey prices) represented approximately £325 million at 1978 survey prices or £363 million at 1979 survey prices. These plans were revised in Cmnd. 7439 to a figure equivalent to £328 million at 1979 survey prices. The outturn is subject to some uncertainty but is currently expected to be about £291 million at 1979 survey prices, approximately 11 per cent. below the Cmnd. 7439 level. This is the maximum that can be accommodated within the cash limit for expenditure on construction and maintenance. I have no340W reason at this stage to expect that expenditure will fall short of provision in 1980–81, but I shall be keeping the balance between construction and maintenance under review.
§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Minister of Transport if he will break down the 1979–80 English motorway and trunk road construction budget in estimated outturn prices into the following expenditure headings; total planned, schemes costing more than £1 million already under construction at the beginning of 1979–80, schemes costing less than £1 million already under construction at the beginning of 1979–80, residual expenditure on completed schemes costing more than £1 million, residential expenditure on completed schemes costing less than £1 million, schemes starting in 1979–80, preliminary outlays on land for future schemes, schemes completed during the year and other items.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe information is as follows:
£million at outturn prices Schemes costing over £1 million: Under construction at the beginning of 1979–80 146.0 Residual expenditure on schemes completed before 1979–80 39.0 Schemes due to start during 1979–80 37.0 Preliminary outlays on land for future schemes 32.0 Other items 13.7 Total schemes over £1 million 267.7 Schemes costing under £1 million 29.3 Total construction budget 297.0 I regret that a breakdown of expenditure for schemes costing less than £1 million and the separate identification of expenditure on schemes completed during the year cannot be provided without undue effort and expense.