HC Deb 14 July 1953 vol 517 cc153-5W
Sir W. Wakefield

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish in percentage form, and as the total cost to his Department, the amount of maintenance work done on the trunk and classified roads

and (c) advances to the Overseas Food Corporation. The figures for (b) and (c) are given in the annual reports of those Corporations.

The total of trustee stock loans raised for the Colonial Dependencies in London since 1920 was £225,856,663 including conversions of existing stock of £24,059,055 and £7,488,450 reserved for local subscription in the Dependencies.

I regret that the task of breaking down this information Colony by Colony over 33 years would impose an unjustified burden upon my Department.

Following is the statement:

of the country in the two years 1938–39 and 1951–52, and taking 1938–39 as 100 per cent.

Mr. Braithwaite

The following table shows the expenditure in 1938–39 and 1951–52 which fell to be met from the Road Fund in respect of maintenance and minor improvement of trunk and classified roads, together with percentages of

— Trunk Roads £'000 Classified Roads £'000 Total £'000 Estimated approximate value of work done based on 1938–39 = 100
1938–39 … 2,727 6,481 9,208 100
1951–52 … 8,082 16,507 24,589 70

The figures for trunk roads represent payments from the Road Fund, while those for classified roads represent the proportion of the expenditure incurred by the highway authorities which fell to be met out of the Road Fund.

The figures of expenditure in 1939–39 and 1951–52 are not comparable since in 1946 further trunk roads were created and a number of roads included in the new Class III and the rates of grant for Class I and Class II roads were increased.