§ 83. Mr. Challenasked the Minister of Transport on what grounds it has been decided that road maintenance, as opposed to road improvements, involves capital expenditure and that expenditure upon such maintenance must be reduced as an essential part of the temporary postponement of schemes of capital investment; whether it is proposed to make a proportionate cut on the expenditure of railway maintenance; and whether he will give particulars.
§ Mr. CallaghanThe maintenance of assets is a form of capital investment and road upkeep must bear a share of the reduction. For details of the Government's proposals I would refer the hon. Member to the White Paper which is being issued today.
§ 84. Mr. Alpassasked the Minister of Transport if he will indicate the size of the 18W grants to highway authorities for next year so as to enable them to prepare their estimates in time for their Budget meetings early in the new year.
§ Mr. CallaghanThe County Councils Association and individual county surveyors have already been informed that my right hon. Friend hopes to let councils know early in January what maintenance grants are likely to be available for classified roads in 1948–49. I am sorry that earlier information cannot be given, but I have no doubt that authorities will keep in mind that the grant will be smaller than it was this year.