§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Minister of Transport how much was spent on maintenance of trunk roads other than motorways in each of the years from 1975–76 to 1979–80; and what was the budgeted figure for 1980–81 and the planned figures for subsequent years to 1983–84, showing in each case the proportion of the total trunk road maintenance budget absorbed.
§ Mr. FowlerThe figures of the amounts spent on the maintenance of trunk roads, other than motorways, in
488Wroads in Great Britain with the planning total for public expenditure after shortfall. For 1970–71, the figures are derived from Cmnd. 5519, and conform to the definition of public expenditure which applied at that time.
the years 1975–76 to 1979–80 were as follows:
£ millions 1975–76 33.158 1976–77 35.820 1977–78 37.626 1978–79 47.481 1979–80 49.160 The budgeted figure for 1980–81 is £40.301 million. All these figures are at outturn prices. The planned figures for subsequent years are not at this stage broken down.
These amounts represent the following percentages of the total amount spent or planned to be spent on the maintenance of motorways and trunk roads in those years.
1975–76 67.8% 1976–77 63.7% 1977–78 62.9% 1978–79 59.1% 1979–80 48.7% 1980–81 36.6%
§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Minister of Transport if his reply to the hon. Member for Newport on 23 July, that he has stabilised the trunk road construction budget in the current year, implies that resources will not be transferred from construction to maintenance in order to protect the latter budget from the cost rise assumption of 14 per cent. on which the cash limit was set; if so, what effects higher than anticipated cost rises are having on (a) the planned motorway and trunk road budget of £91 million in 1980–81 and (b) the list of major motorway maintenance projects given in table 7 of "Policy for Roads: England 1980": and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FowlerThere is a number of factors which can affect the management of the roads programme. These include the rate of inflation, the weather, delays resulting from longer than expected public inquiries, and contractors' claims. 489W Adjusrments to the programme are made as required during the year so as to ensure that as far as possible outturn will equal the voted provision.
It is too early to say whether adjustments of this kind during 1980–81 may entail a transfer of resources between maintenance and construction.
§ Mr. Fryasked the Minister of Transport how long, given the stabilisation of the budget for English trunk road construction at its present annual level of £300 million, the schemes listed in "Policy for Roads: England 1980" will take to be completed.
§ Mr. FowlerSome 12–15 years to completion for the schemes in the main programmes and reserve lists. In other words, almost all could start by the end of the decade. Schemes on which work has been temporarily suspended would take another 3–4 years.
§ Mr. Fryasked the Minister of Transport what annual level for the English trunk road construction budget would be required to carry out (a) all the main programme schemes listed in "Policy for Roads: England 1980" and (b) all main programme and reserve list schemes, assuming an even distribution of expenditure during each of the given bands of years.
§ Mr. FowlerI will write to my hon. Friend about the figures for the period up to the end of 1983; beyond that date, the programme is not divided into time-bands. Even if funds were unlimited, however, it is improbable that all these schemes could start in the respective time-bands. Some degree of over-programming is necessary to cover unexpected difficulties with individual schemes.
§ Mr. Fryasked the Minister of Transport what is the value of trunk road construction work in progress at the present date; what is the forecast value of work in progress in each of the next five years under each of the following assumptions (a) all main programme schemes listed in "Policy for Roads: England 1980" go ahead as planned and (b) resources are available to carry out both main programme and reserve list schemes.
§ Mr. FowlerThe value of trunk road construction work in progress at present490W is £493 million at current prices. The rest of the information requested is not immediately available. I will write to my hon. Friend.