Major BARNESasked the Prime Minister what were the functions of the Development Commissioners appointed under the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909; which of these have been transferred, and to what Departments; what is the present amount of the Development and Roads Improvement Fund; to what purposes is it intended to devote it; and when the Report of the Commissioners for the year 1919–20 will be published?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe functions of the Development Commissioners are as stated in the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909, the chief function being to report to the Treasury on applications for advances from the Develop-2130W ment Fund for the purposes specified in Section 1 of the Act. The power of making advances for certain of these purposes has been transferred as follows:—As regards forestry, to the Forestry Commission, under the Forestry Act, 1919, Section 3 (4), and as regards the general improvement of rural transport, the construction and improvement of harbours, except fishery harbours, and the construction and improvement of inland navigations, to the Ministry of Transport, under the Ministry of Transport Act, 1919, Section 17 (i).
The present amount of the Development Fund is £1,249,733, to which will fall to be added the sum of £1,000,000 voted by Parliament this year under Class VI, Vote 8. The Development Commissioners have never been concerned with the funds for road improvement, for which the Minister of Transport is now responsible. It is intended to devote the Development Fund to the purposes specified in the Development Act, 1909, as altered by the last two mentioned Acts. The Report of the Commissioners for 1919–20 is in the press, and will be published shortly.