§ Major GLYNasked the Secretary for Scotland what is the total average road rate levied in county areas of Scotland for the present financial year, and what was the corresponding figure for 1912–13 1998W and 1914; what is the contribution in actual cash payments that Scottish local authorities have received from the Road Board; and how much is it estimated will be received by Scottish county authorities from the Motor Vehicles Tax administered by the Ministry of Transport?
§ Mr. NEALI have been asked to answer this question. The average road rate levied in county areas in Scotland in 1912–13, 1913–14 may be put at approximately 6d. in the £. Information as to 1920–21 is not at present available and the rates for the current year are not yet fixed. From the inception of the Road Board in 1910 to 22nd September, 1919, when it became merged in the Ministry of Transport, the total sums paid to highway authorities in Scotland were:
£ Grants 442,359 Loans 128,246 £570,605 As regards the third part of the question; estimates of expenditure on roads in Class I and Class II on which the bulk of this year's grants will depend, are now being received. Until these returns have been examined it is impossible to give an estimate of the total grants likely to be paid to Scottish highway authorities during the current financial year.