§ Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Transport whether he is yet in a position to state the total claims of road authorities for additional expenditure due to the exceptionally severe weather last winter; and whether he has authorised payment on all these claims.
§ Mr. MarplesThe local authorities receiving Exchequer grants for maintenance of classified roads estimate that during the abnormal conditions of last winter they incurred net additional expenditure of about £6 million on the maintenance of those roads. I am authorising payment of grants at the usual rates towards this expenditure and on the evidence available these may amount to just over £3.5 million.