Mr. FOOT MITCHELLasked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that rural workers have been dismissed from their employment of repairing roads in rural districts owing to the fact that no funds are now available from the Road Fund; how many such men have been dismissed; and what steps it is proposed to take?
§ Colonel ASHLEYI have no record of the number of men employed by highway authorities throughout the country. Having regard to the increasingly large sums allocated from the Road Fund for the maintenance of roads in rural areas, I should be surprised to learn that the aggregate number of men employed in maintaining and repairing roads in such areas has undergone reduction, but, even if this be the case, it must be for some reason other than that suggested in my hon. Friend's question.
ROAD FUND. Allocation of Revenue, 1927–28. £ £ £ Estimated gross receipts from Licence Duties, less Refunds 24,100,000 Deduct Payments on Local Taxation Account 600,000 Treasury share 4,000,000 4,600,000 Estimated Net Receipts from Motor Taxes 19,500,000 Add Interest Receipts from Loans and Investments 355,000 19,855,000 Deduct Local Authorities' Cost of Collection (Roads Act, Sec. 3 (4) (a)) 380,000 Compensation Claims (Roads Act, Sec. 3 (4) (b)) 50,000 Expenses of Other Government Departments (Roads Act, Sec. 3 (4) (e)) 25,000 Administration Expenses (Roads Act, Sec. 3 (4) (c)) 145,000 600,000 Net Revenue available for appropriation 19,255,000