§ Mr. LOVERSEEDasked the Minister of Transport whether, seeing the enormous increase in the repair and maintenance of roads in rural district council areas, he will sanction the payment to local authorities of the difference between the cost of upkeep in 1914 and those of to-day, which is caused by the heavy motor traffic running over these roads, thus relieving the local rates of an unfair burden?
§ Mr. GOSLINGWhile I am unable to agree with the basis of grant proposed by the hon. Member, I would inform the hon. Member that a total allocation was made from the Road Fund revenues for 1923–24 and 1924–25 amounting to 2,750,000 for the improvement of important roads in rural areas in Great Britain. Payments to rural authorities on the scale suggested in the question could not he made from the. Fund without trenching seriously upon the annual maintenance and improvement grants to Class I and Class II roads.1364W the following information with reference to the Clyde Trust and the Mersey Harbour Board, respectively: The revenue obtained during each of the four years 1920 to 1923, and the number of maintenance men employed in each port during each of the four years?
§ Mr. GOSLINGI have been asked to reply. The reply as to the revenue of these undertakings contains a number of figures, and I propose, therefore, with my hon. Friend's concurrence, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I have no information in regard to the latter part of the question.
Following are the figures referred to:
The gross revenue of the Clyde Navigation Trust and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, respectively, for each of the years in question, was, according to the published accounts of the undertakings, as follows: