Mr. MeaeherTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list annual outturn and planned expenditure on new construction of roads in England, as defined in figure 22 of his Department's "Transport Report 1995", for the period 1979–80 to 1997–98 in(a) cash terms, (b) constant prices and (c) constant prices allowing for the introduction of value added tax on motorway and trunk road improvement contracts let after 1 April 1989. [29532]
§ Mr. WattsThe information requested regarding new construction outturn and expenditure in cash terms and constant prices is set out in the table.
The effect of VAT is more difficult to determine because:
361Wcomplex transitional arrangements applied when VAT on construction contracts was introduced in 1989;VAT does not apply uniformly to all costs; andthe Department's accounting records do not identify separately VAT that is not recoverable. To identify this would involve examining every contract and this could be done only at a disproportionate cost.
DoT expenditure on new construction of roads 1979–80 to 1988–89 Outturn 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 Cash 338 404 446 524 511 564 568 548 607 707 Constant prices (1993–94) 829 838 845 925 863 907 866 810 853930
DoT expenditure on new construction of roads 1989–90 to 1997–98 1989–90 Outturn 1990–91 Outturn 1991–92 Outturn 1992–93 Outturn 1993–94 Outturn 1994–95 Outturn 1995–96 plans 1996–97 plans 1997–98 plans Cash 912 1,269 1,276 1,309 1,344 1,314 1,090 1,027 980 Constant prices (1993–94) 1,122 1,445 1,367 1,349 1,344 1,288 1,035 951 888 The constant prices have been calculated on the latest available GDP deflator using 1993–94 as the baseline.