§ Mr. STANIERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will grant the Return standing in the name of the hon. Member for North Shropshire?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELUntil the provisional classification of roads has been made, it is impossible to calculate, otherwise than roughly, the estimated receipts of local authorities under the new scheme of Grants proposed in the Budget. Detailed estimates published at the present time would necessarily be misleading, and it is desirable that any Return on the lines suggested should be deferred until the materials necessary for the calculations are complete.
§ Mr. NORMAN CRAIGasked what will be approximately the relief to rates in the county of Kent under the Budget proposals?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI can only refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on the 6th instant to the hon. Member for the Eastern Division of Nottingham.
§ Mr. RUPERT GWYNNEasked what is the estimated cost of the classification of roads under the proposals of the Budget; and by whom the cost is to be borne?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe Road Board will pay out of the Road Improvement Fund their expenses in connection with the classification of roads, estimated at about £8,000, and highway authorities will bear any expenses they may incur in submitting proposals to the Board.
§ Mr. RUPERT GWYNNEasked whether, under the Budget proposals, it is intended that the roads at present under the control of various local highway authorities should, after classification, still remain under the same authorities, or whether it is proposed to transfer all roads coming within Class I. to the county authorities?
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§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThis is a matter for separate consideration. The legislation at present proposed will not deal with this point.
§ Mr. RUPERT GWYNNEasked whether, under the proposals of the Budget, highway authorities are being asked to themselves prepare and send in the classification of the various roads in their areas; whether it is intended to accept this classification as a basis for Grants from the National Exchequer; and what expectation he has under this system of obtaining a classification on a uniform basis when it is left to the discretion of the respective county, rural, and urban councils throughout the country to hurriedly decide the basis on which the classification of their particular roads should be made?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe highway authorities have been asked by the Road Board to send in their proposals for classification, but the classification itself will be settled by the Road Board after consideration of those proposals.