§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Minister of Transport what grants he paid to the British Waterways Board in 1969–70; what grants he intends to pay in 1970–71; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MulleyIn 1969–70, I have paid the British Waterways Board a grant-in-aid of £1.5 million in respect of its estimated net deficit on revenue account in 1969, and £0.5 million to 85W reimburse them all its costs arising from the strengthening and reconstruction of sub-standard bridges. The comparable figures for 1970–71 are £1.85 million, being grant-in-aid in respect of its estimated net deficit on revenue account in 1970, and £1.0 million on account of sub-standard bridges. The grant-in-aid relates to the net revenue losses estimated as likely to be incurred by the undertaking as a whole after taking account of the financial results of the board's commercial activities, but is primarily intended to enable the board to fulfil its amenity and conservancy functions. The payment of grant in respect of substandard road bridges recognises that the burden imposed on the board by the need to improve these bridges in the interest of road traffic cannot be borne under the board's normal financial arrangments.