§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the £16.4 million spent by Welsh local authorities on roads in 1968–69 was financed through the rate support grant, and how much by other means.
§ Mr. George ThomasLocal authorities are free to decide the manner in which rate support grant is disbursed and it is not, therefore, possible to say what proportions of highway work are financed out of rate support grant and from other sources of income.
§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the proportional increase in total public expenditure on roads in Wales between 1964 and 1969; and what was the proportional increase in the central and local government expenditure, respectively.
§ Mr. George Thomas47.5 per cent., 21.6 per cent. and 82.3 per cent. In interpreting the second and third figures, it must be remembered that while central Government expenditure in 1963–64 includes specific grants to local authorities for works on their roads, the central Government expenditure figure for 1968–69 takes no account of the non-specific rate support grant which replaced certain of the specific grants from 1st April, 1967.
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§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the total expenditures in Wales on road lighting, road maintenance, road improvements, and new roads, respectively, for each of the five years 1964–65 to 1968–69, and the estimated expenditures in 1969–70.
§ Mr. George ThomasThe information is as follows:
£ million Road lighting Road maintenance* New construction and improvements* 1964–65 … 0.9 11.8 13.7 1965–66 … 1.11 12.7 13.5 1966–67 … 1.2 14.2 15.3 1967–68 … 1.5 14.5 15.1 1968–69 … 1.5 14.9 16.3 1969–70 … 1.5 15.0 17.5 * Note: (1) The figures for maintenance for the years 1964–65 to 1966–67 include minor improvements which cannot readily be identified. (2) It is not possible to break down expenditure between road improvements and new roads.
§ Mr. Gwynfor Evansasked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the central Government expenditures in Wales on road lighting, road maintenance, road improvements, and new roads, respectively, for each of the five years 1964–65 to 1968–69, and the estimated expenditures in 1969–70.
§ Mr. George ThomasThe information is as follows:
£ million Road lighting Road maintenance* New construction and improvements* 1964–65 0.1 5.4 10.8 1965–66 0.1 5.7 11.1 1966–67 0.1 6.1 13.1 1967–68 0.1 3.2 11.5 1968–69 0.1 2.9 11.9 1969–70 (Estimated) 0.1 2.2 12.3 * Notes: (1) The figures for maintenance for the years 1964–65 to 1966–67 include minor improvements which cannot readily be identified. (2) It is not possible to break down expenditure between road improvements and new roads. (3) The figures for 1967–68 onwards do not include the non-specific Rate Support Grant which replaced certain of the specific grants from 1st April, 1967.