§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional resources, other than those transferred from revenue budgets, he intends to make available for highway structural maintenance on the primary route network.
§ Mr. ChopeWe intend to provide £100 million a year from 1992–93 by way of transport supplementary grant and credit approvals for structural maintenance on the primary route network. The control total for the highways maintenance standard spending assessment for 1992–93 has yet to be decided.
§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with local authorities about increasing investment in highway structural maintenance; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeI met representatives of the local authority associations on 18 February. Officials have also had meetings with the associations, most recently on 22 March.
§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received in favour of his plans to reclassify expenditure on highway structural maintenance on the primary route network as capital expenditure;
(2) what representations he has had from local authority associations on his decision to reclassify expenditure on highway structural maintenance on the primary route network as capital expenditure.
§ Mr. ChopeExpenditure by local authorities on structural maintenance of roads is expenditure for capital purposes within the meaning of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and, under section 42 of that Act, does not need to be charged to revenue account if credit approvals are used as authority to capitalise it or it is reimbursed out of transport supplementary grant. The local authority associations have criticised our plans to make grant and credit approvals available towards such expenditure. No other representations have been received.
317W
§ Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the criteria will be for assessing competing bids for transport supplementary grant for highway structural maintenance on the primary route network.
§ Mr. ChopeThe criteria will take into account the length and structural condition of the roads concerned.