§ Sir T. DAVIESasked the Minister of Transport what is the amount of grant to be apportioned from the Road Fund for the year 1927–28 under the following heads: Class 1 roads, bridges on Class 1 roads, Class 2 roads, bridges on Class 2 roads, and scheduled roads in rural district council areas; what amounts are deducted from the gross total of about £21,810,000 collected from all motor licences during 1926–27 for statutory charges under Section 3 (4) of the Roads Act, 1920, payment to the Exchequer under Section 42 of the Finance Act, 1926, and for any other purposes; and what is the estimated cost of raising the percentage of maintenance grants for all roads that received such grants during 1926–27, with the exception of Class 1 roads, from 25 to 33⅓ per cent. during 1927–28?
§ Colonel ASHLEYThe following statement shows the appropriation of the receipts from motor taxation during the present financial year. The amounts deducted from the receipts during 1926–27 for statutory charges under Section 3 (4) of the Roads Act, 1920, and payments to the Exchequer under Section 42 of the Finance Act, 1926, were £600,000 and about £3,620,000 respectively.
With regard to the last part of the question, I estimate the cost of raising the maintenance grants to Class 2 roads from 25 per cent. to 33⅓ per cent., and to scheduled roads in rural areas from 20 per cent. to 33⅓ per cent. at about £1,500,000.
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It is proposed to appropriate this net revenue of £19,255,000 as follows: A. Classified Roads. £ £ £ 1. Grants towards the maintenance and improvement of Class I and Class II Roads and Bridges (Classification Grants) 10,000,000 2. Special Grants towards the maintenance and improvement of Class I and Class II Roads—Great Britain. 550,000 3. Grants towards Loan Charges incurred by Local Authorities 15,000 Total "Maintenance" Grants (Other than under B) 10,565,000 4. Grants towards widenings, diversions, bridge reconstructions, etc., as well as expenditure arising in connection with prescription of building and improvement lines on Class I and Class II roads. (Including new roads with classification value) 1,800,000 Total Grants to Classified Roads (Other than under B) 12,365,000 (N.B.—The provision under B (1) should be added to this to this to arrive at the total for Classified Roads.) B. Special Grants towards the maintenance and improvement of roads for which authorities essentially Rural in character are responsible. 1. England and Wales. Grants towards improvements on classified roads in rural areas (prior to "maining" by County Councils) 500,000 Grants towards improvements on unclassified roads in rural areas 500,000 Grants towards maintenance of selected (scheduled) unclassified roads 1,300,000 2,300,000 2. Scotland. Grants towards improvements on roads in rural areas. 250,000 Grants towards maintenance of roads in rural areas 100,000 350,000 Total Grants to Roads for which Authorities essentially Rural in character are responsible 2,650,000 C. Other Non-Classified Roads. Widenings, diversions, bridge reconstructions, etc., on unclassified roads for which Authorities other than district Authorities essentially rural in character are responsible (including new roads with no classification value) 200,000 D. Works (including Thames Bridges) recommended by the Royal Commission on London Cross-river Traffic 1,000,000 E. Special Schemes within the London Traffic Area. 1. Grants for Works 150,000 2. Inquiries, surveys, signposting, etc. 15,000 165,000 F. Miscellaneous Purposes. 1. Grants towards the Salaries and Travelling Expenses of Surveyors (Local Authorities) 200,000 2. Grants towards the acquisition of lands likely to be required in the near future for Road Works (Widenings, Diversions, etc.) 15,000 3. Expenditure on Surveys, including bridge surveys and special reports on road and bridge works outside the London Traffic area 10,000 4. Expenditure in connection with building line, etc., surveys 25,000 5. Expenditure on Experimental Works 35,000 285,000 G. Reserve for Miscellaneous and unforeseen Items 35,000 Total Appropriations in respect of Liabilities to be assumed during 1927–28 16,700,000 H. Appropriations to meet. 1. Liabilities (Loan Charge Grants) taken over from the Unemployment Grants Committee 875,000 2. Other outstanding Liabilities 1,680,000 2,555,000 TOTAL 19,255,000